Author: Muriel Bristol

By Muriel Bristol | August 2, 2020

Malcolm Allen Hayes Hart was born in Milton, December 28, 1861, son of Simon and Mary A. (Wentworth) Hart. His parents moved their family to South Berwick, ME, not long after.

Simon Hart, a carpenter, aged sixty-two years (b. NH), headed a South Berwick, ME, household at the time of the Tenth (1880) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Mary A. Hart, keeping house, aged sixty years (b. NH), and his children, Hamlin G. Hart, a blacksmith, aged twenty-six years (b. ME), Justin Hart, a saloon keeper, aged twenty-four years (b. NH), Bertha S. Hart, a shoe stitcher, aged twenty years (b. NH), Malcome A. Hart, a shoe shop worker, aged eighteen years (b. NH), and Ernest L. Hart, at school, aged thirteen years (b. ME). Simon Hart suffered from “paralysis agitans,” i.e., Parkinson’s Disease.

Malcolm A.H. Hart, having completed his studies at the Berwick Academy in 1878, was for some time engaged in teaching school in Lebanon, South Berwick, and Kennebunk, Me., and then took a two years’ course in the medical department at Bowdoin College. Entering the University of New York City in 1887, he was graduated in 1888, and located for practice in Fall River, Mass., where he remained for eighteen months. After that he took a year’s post-graduate course in New York City, obtaining much valuable practical experience in the hospital connected with the school. He resumed the duties of his profession at Gilmanton Iron Works, residing there for a year, and in 1891 he settled in Milton where he has since remained. His professional success in his native town has been so marked as to gain for him a high reputation as a skillful and reliable physician, and a profitable practice is the result (B.R. Publishing Co., 1897).

Having graduated from New York University in 1888, Dr. Hart practiced first in Fall River, MA, for eighteen months.

Personal Mention. Dr. M.A.H. Hart who has been at home a few days, returned last night to New York, where he is pursuing his medical studies (Fall River Daily Herald (Fall River, MA), November 29, 1887).

Personal Mention. Dr. M.A.H. Hart has been elected a member of the Massachusetts Medical society (Fall River Daily Herald (Fall River, MA), July 20, 1888).

Personal Mention. Dr. M.A.H. Hart has returned from a visit to South Berwick, Me. (Fall River Daily Herald (Fall River, MA), December 28, 1888).

He returned to New York City in 1889 to pursue post-graduate studies both there and in Germany.

Personal Mention. Dr. M.A.H. Hart, formerly of this city, now of New York, will sail tonight for Germany, where he will complete a course of medical studies (Fall River Daily Herald (Fall River, MA), September 23, 1889).

Dr. M.A.H. Hart of Harlem, NY, formerly of Flint Village, i.e., Fall River, MA, was one of four doctors that testified in the personal injury lawsuit of Mary L. Fortin versus Chauncey H. Sears, March 27, 1890. Fortin had been struck in the head by a thirty-pound stone thrown from a construction blast (set off without a covering). She complained of having persistent head pains since the accident. Four doctors testified to the extent of her injuries.

Dr. M.A.H. Hart of Harlem, N.Y., formerly of Flint Village, and who attended her immediately after the accident, averred that her wound was a scalp wound merely, the bone not injured (Fall River Daily Herald (Fall River, MA), March 28, 1890).

The jury found in her favor and awarded her $469.71. (This amount would be equivalent to about $45,000 at current values).

Malcolm A. Hart married in Lansingburg, NY, April 17, 1890, Estelle L. Draper. She was born in Fair Haven, VT, July 6, 1863, daughter of Hiram H. and Elizabeth S. (Lewis) Draper.

Their elder son, Marion Wentworth Hart, was born in Gilmanton (Gilmanton Iron Works), NH, March 4, 1891. The Harts moved to Milton later in that same year.

M.A.H. Hart appeared in the Milton business directories of 1892, 1894, [and 1898], as a physician, resident in Milton.

MILTON. Dr. Hart is confined to his home with the grip. Dr. Jones is taking his place (Farmington News, January 1, 1892).

Dr. M.A.H. Hart sat on the platform in a Milton Republican Club meeting promoting incumbent President Benjamin Harrison and his running mate, Whitelaw Reid, in the election of November 1892. Harrison and Reid lost to former President Grover Cleveland and his running mate, Adlai Stevenson (an earlier one).

MILTON. A large and elegant Harrison & Reid flag was raised here last night by the republican club of Milton. The decorations and colored lights were well arranged and well timed, and three hearty cheers were given for the candidates. Hon. Henry W. Blair gave an earnest and intensely interesting address in A.O.U.W. hall, under the auspices of the club, holding the attention of an unusually large audience throughout, and receiving much enthusiastic applause. W.K. Norton, principal of the Nute high school, acted as president of the evening. On the platform were seated Hon. Charles H. Looney, Luther Hayes, Dr. J.H. Twombly, Charles A. Jones, Dr. M.A.H. Hart, R.M. Kimball, Henry Scates, W.C. Nash, S. Lyman Hayes, S.W. Wallingford, B.B. Plummer. The action of our young democratic friends in stoning the lanterns and breaking wires, as well as their unnecessary catcalls during the address, are appreciated at their full value, not only by republicans, but by respectable democrats (Farmington News, September 30, 1892).

Dr. M.A.H. Hart of Milton, NH, appeared in a medical paper by Dr. Ambrose L. Ranney, A.M., M.D., as having referred an eye patient to Ranney, October 28, 1892. The patient was a Mr. O, who was a minister of the gospel, single, aged twenty-eight years (Ranney, 1894).

HERE AND THERE. A pleasing quartette was sung [in Alton, NH], without accompaniment, by the Misses Brown, Roberts, Quint, and Gilman, and two selections were given by a remarkably good quartette of men from Milton, the first bass being Vivian Libby, second bass E.W. Webber, first tenor Dr. M.A.H. Hart, second tenor Charles P. Bruce, and accompanist Miss Carrie Brown. It is seldom that so fine voices are heard in the smaller towns (Farmington News, May 24, 1895).

HERE AND THERE. Dr. M.A. Hart of the same [Milton] town, and Mr. Ralph Kimball were in Farmington on Friday (Farmington News, November 15, 1895).

M.A.H. Hart served as preceptor for Bowdoin College medical student Frank Herbert Jordan, of Milton, NH, during the 1896-97, 1897-98, and 1898-99 academic years (Bowdoin College, 1899). “Preceptor” can be a somewhat expansive term, and may mean different things at different institutions. There is little reason to suppose that Dr. Hart was based at Bowdoin College’s Brunswick, ME, location, or even commuted there in any regular way. It is more likely that he helped and advised this Milton medical student in Milton. (Dr. Hart was himself a Bowdoin alumnus). Jordan was born in Milton, September 13, 1868, son of George I. and Elizabeth A. “Lizzie” (Downs) Jordan. He went on to practice in Fryeburg, ME, South Portland, ME, and New Bedford, MA.

HERE AND THERE. During the serious and prolonged illness of Mrs. Cecil Sloan she has the medical attention of Dr. Malcolm A. Hart of Milton, a graduate of the University of New York. Dr. Hart, on Wednesday of last week, had the assistance of Dr. Stephen Young of East Rochester, who has been his coadjutor on various occasions requiring the work of two physicians. A trained nurse also was in attendance on Mrs. Sloan during the past week (Farmington News, June 4, 1897).

Mrs. Adelaide C. “Cecile” (Waldron) Sloan recovered sufficiently from her illness to marry (2nd) in Rochester, NH, September 23, 1897, Ned F. Looney (1873-1918), a son of Collector Charles H. and Emily E. (Miller) Looney. (She would not die until 1925).

New Hampshire passed a medical licensing law, March 1, 1897, which required medical practitioners to be tested, licensed and registered as of September 1, 1897. (Charles William Gross, William Emerson Pillsbury, and Frank Sherman Weeks, of Milton Mills, and Malcolm A.H. Hart, Charles Dana Jones, and John Herbert Twombly, of Milton, were all rated “A”- they were already in practice prior to the passage of the law – i.e., they were “grandfathered in” and did not have to pass the new examination) (NH State Board of Education, 1906).

There were identity thieves, mountebanks and fraudsters also in the past. One Samuel Ringgold Harwood (1867-1949) took on the name of Dr. Hart, and his curriculum vitae too, and used them to fraudulently obtain an Illinois medical license in September 1897. Then he reverted to his true name, under which he practiced. It took over twenty years before his fraud was discovered.

Hearings of Physicians. Dr. Samuel Ringgold Harwood, East St. Louis, Illinois, License No. 14554, issued September 13, 1897, revoked by the Department of Registration and Education, August 19, 1918, for the following reason: That he was guilty of fraud and deceit at the time of securing license to practice medicine and surgery in that at that time he represented himself to be one Malcolm Allen Hayes Hart, a name other than his own, which name he subsequently had changed by legal process to Samuel Ringgold Harwood, his own real name (IL Department of Registration, 1918).

After being “struck off” the Illinois register, “Dr.” Ringgold practiced next in Missouri. His obituary mentioned his widow’s intent to continue to run his hospital in Sullivan, MO (Washington Citizen (Washington, MO), October 14, 1949).

Dr. Malcolm A. Hart testified in Dover, NH, in January 1898, regarding his attendance on William Jones, who had survived Milton’s Poisoning Murder of 1897. Dr. Hart was there also when Mrs. Sally W. (Ellis) Jones died (Boston Globe, January 5, 1898).

Malcolm A.H. Hart was one of seventeen incorporators of the Milton Water Works in July 1899.

Malcolm A.H. Hart, a physician, aged thirty-eight years (b. NH), headed a Milton (“Milton Village”) household at the time of the Twelfth (1900) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of ten years), Estelle Hart, aged thirty-six years (b. VT), and his children, Wentworth Hart, at school, aged nine years (b. NH), and Ezra Hart, aged four years (b. NH), and his boarder, Gertrude Richardson, a house servant, aged thirty-three years (b. NH). Malcolm A.H. Hart owned their farm, free-and-clear. Estelle Hart was the mother of three children, of whom two were still living. Gertrude Richardson had been married for fifteen years, and she was the mother of four children, of whom three were still living.

In his capacity as a member of Milton’s Board of Health, Dr. M.A.H. Hart corresponded in May 1900 with the NH State Board of Health regarding quarantine procedures during a Milton measles outbreak. (See Milton and the Measles, 1900).

LOCALS. The Rev. and Mrs. M.P. Dickey, Mrs. C.H. Looney, Mrs. M.A.H. Hart, Miss Clara Drew, and Deacon and Mrs. S.G. Chamberlain of Milton attended last week the conference held in the [Farmington] Main street church (Farmington News, June 1, 1900).

PERSONALS. Roscoe Shaw, first assistant in the laboratory at the state college in Durham, expects to leave New Hampshire at the end of the summer, having been appointed to a better position in the Wisconsin Agricultural College. He is a nephew of Dr. M.A.H. Hart of Milton, has studied abroad, and is well known to Farmington people (Farmington News, July 20, 1900).

Roscoe Hart Shaw was born in South Berwick, ME, June 10, 1875, son of Lyman and Alzade E. (Hart) Shaw. University of Wisconsin catalogs describe him as Roscoe H. Shaw, B.S., instructor in chemistry and acting chemist, experiment station, 1900-01; chemistry assistant, 1901-02.

PERSONAL. Dr. M.A.H. Hart, republican, and Hazen Plumer, democrat, both well known in Farmington, are Milton candidates for representative (Farmington News, October 12, 1900).

MILTON. The nomination for Dr. M.A.H. Hart for representative by the republican caucus is conceded to be a strong one in all quarters. The natural republican majority in Milton is large and there can be no doubt but what the genial doctor will poll the full strength of his party vote. He is young, honest and able, and his friends in both parties will watch his legislative career with interest. The democratic nominee, Hazen Plumer, is also an excellent candidate, a bright, hustling business man and one who would creditably represent the town if elected. Mr. Plumer and Dr. Hart are friendly personally and have worked shoulder to shoulder for the good of Milton (Farmington News, November 2, 1900).

Malcolm A.H. Hart prevailed over Hazen Plummer in the election by a vote of 267 (66.3%) to 136 (33.7%). He served during the 1901-02 biennium and was succeeded by John E. Townsend. Hart served on the house standing committee On [the] Normal School.

M.A.H. Hart appeared in the Milton business directories of 1901, 1904, 1905-06, and 1909, as a physician, resident in Milton. (His house was at 30 So. Main in 1905-06 and 1909).

PERSONAL. Dr. M.A.H. Hart of Milton, well known in Farmington, was one of the judges at the fourth annual masquerade of Merrimac colony, United Order of Pilgrim Fathers, given last week at the opera house in Concord (Farmington News, February 1, 1901).

Young Travelers. Master Wentworth Hart, son of Dr. M.A.H. Hart, started last Wednesday week for Fair Haven, Vt., to visit his grandparents. The distance is some over 300 miles but the young man, though but ten years of age, courageously took the journey untagged and unattended and reached his destination without trouble (Farmington News, August 2, 1901).

MILTON. Dr. and Mrs. M.A.H. Hart have just returned from the Pan-American exposition, also from a visit to Dr. Hart’s brother in northern New York (Farmington News, October 25, 1901).

MILTON. Peter Bonochie has moved into a house owned by Dr. Hart (Farmington News, November 22, 1901).

The offer of the gift of a town clock for Milton, by an out of town citizen, if the people will raise money for a bell, has stimulated an effort to this end, and an organization was effected at a meeting Saturday evening, Dr. M.A.H. Hart being president, Harry L. Avery secretary, and N.G. Pinkham treasurer. It is proposed to place this clock and bell in the tower of the Congregational church as the most conspicuous place in the village (Farmington News, November 29, 1901).

U.S. Collector of Customs in Portsmouth, NH, and prominent Milton resident, Charles H. Looney (1849-1902), collapsed in the Prospect Hill cemetery, in Lebanon, ME, during the funeral of Charles H. Downs (1844-1902).

… Immediately Dr. M.A.H Hart was called instantly to the side of his friend and neighbor, and superintended his removal to his home, while everything possible was done to restore him to consciousness. But nothing availed and he passed away at about half past twelve o’clock of the morning referred to, April 23 (Farmington News, April 25, 1902).

M.A.H. Hart, M.D., gave the cause of death as apoplexy, i.e., a stroke. Looney was buried in the same cemetery in which he had collapsed.

Estelle L. (Draper) Hart was president of Milton’s Woman’s Relief Corps (W.R.C.) in January 1903. The Woman’s Relief Corps was the women’s auxiliary of the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.), which was a Civil War veterans’ organization.

Carlton W.R.C. Officers of the Carlton corps are to be installed this Thursday evening by the department president, Miss Kate L. Perkins of Marlow, who is a guest of Mrs. J.E. Hayes during her visit in town. Mrs. Hayes, department patriotic instructor, and president of Carlton W.R.C., was in Milton over Monday on occasion of the patriotic prize-speaking contest by twelve children from grades I and II of the schools. A full house was present, and the children all did excellent work. So also, says Mrs. Hayes, did Mrs. M.A.H. Hart, president of the Milton corps, who was in charge of the exercises. The two teachers, Miss Berry and Miss Wilson, and Robert M. Looney, served as judges and awarded the prizes, a five dollar gold piece each, to Mary Jones and Robert Peacock. The presentation was made by the Rev. M.P. Dickey, Marc S. Dickey gave fine piano playing. After the awarding of the prizes an address was given by Mrs. Hayes, which was very much enjoyed and spoken of in a most complimentary manner by the audience. The exercises closed with the flag salute and the singing of America (Farmington News, January 2, 1903).

Dr. M.A.H. Hart of Milton was appointed to the Milton Board of Health, April 11, 1903. He was the Board’s Secretary. He was joined on the Board by Elbridge W. Fox of Milton Mills, April 12, 1904, and Harry D. Coles of Milton, April 18, 1905 (NH State Board of Health, 1907).

Dr. Hart found it necessary to amputate the left foot of Albert O. Mathes after it had been run over by train wheels at the Milton railroad station.

Things Talked Of. Hardly any resident of this county could receive more earnest sympathy than has Albert O. Mathes, treasurer of the Strafford Savings bank at Dover, on occasion of his having suffered the loss of his left foot in an accident at the Milton station last Thursday. He went as usual to the bank and then decided to call on his mother and sister in Milton, between trains, as he has often done. Having spoken with people as he left the train, he stopped a moment to observe a truckful of plants and flowers. Just then he fell between the platform and the cars, probably from sudden dizziness, and before he could be reached two sets of wheels had run over his foot. He was taken to the office of Dr. M.A.H Hart, who found it necessary to remove the crushed foot at once. Mr. Mathes was removed that afternoon to the home of his mother and sister, the latter Mrs. Amos Roberts. Mrs. Mathes came from Dover with a trained nurse by the first train. The many Farmington friends of Mr. Mathes will be glad to know that since the accident last week he is doing as well as can possibly be expected. He is much gratified by the sympathy and good will shown him at this time, in every way (Farmington News, May 8, 1903).

It is often the case with those holding fiduciary offices (such as that held by Mathes) that they are required to take their full vacations. Certain types of fraud and embezzlement require constant adjustment, which cannot happen when the perpetrator is absent for any length of time. While Mathes was laid up, it was discovered in June 1903 that he had embezzled money from the Strafford Savings Bank.

MILTON. Mrs. M.A.H. Hart was in South Berwick last week (Farmington News, February 5, 1904).

MILTON. Miss Hattie Shaw of South Berwick, Me., spent Easter at her uncle’s, Dr. M.A.H. Hart (Farmington News, April 8, 1904).

Dr. Hart found himself unable to attend the Eastern New Hampshire Pomona Grange meeting of Wednesday, May 4, 1904, where he had planned to perform.

MILTON. A vocal solo was expected from Dr. M.A.H. Hart, but, as he was prevented from being present, George H. Tilton of Rochester kindly consented to sing a selection from memory and was loudly encored (Farmington News, May 6, 1904).

Forrest L. Marsh of Milton Mills, and Dr. Malcolm A.H. Hart and Frank G. Horne, both of Milton, appeared in the NH Superintendent of Public Instruction’s annual report of September 1904, as being Milton’s School Board.

MILTON. Dr. Hart and family have been spending a few days at York Beach. … Miss Hattie Shaw of Boston is the guest of her uncle, Dr. M.A.H. Hart (Farmington News, September 2, 1904).

Forrest L. Marsh of Milton Mills, and Dr. Malcolm A.H. Hart and Frank G. Horne, both of Milton, appeared in the NH Superintendent of Public Instruction’s annual report of October 1906, as being Milton’s School Board.

Dr. M.A.H. Hart of Milton was reappointed to the Milton Board of Health, March 11, 1907. He was the Board’s Secretary. He was joined on the Board, May 4, 1908, by Elbridge Fox of Milton Mills, and Harry D. Coles of Milton (NH State Board of Health, 1908).

Dr. M.A.H. Hart attended upon the wounded victim of Milton’s Murderous Lover in June 1907.

[Class of] 1888. University Medical College. Malcolm A.H. Hart, b. Milton, N.H., Dec. 28, 1861; Berwick Acad., Me; mem. N.H. Med. Soc.; Milton, N.H. (NY University, 1908).

DOVER DOINGS. The annual meeting of the Strafford district medical association was held at the Kimball house on Thursday, about 20 physicians attending. Dr. Lewis W. Flanders of this city presided. Papers were read by President Flanders, Dr. M.A.H. Hart, Milton, Dr. John H. Bates of East Rochester and Dr. Forrest L. Keay, Rochester. These officers were elected, Dr. Thomas J. Dougherty of Somersworth, president; Dr. Malcolm A.H. Hart of Milton, vice president; Dr. Lewis W. Flanders, secretary; Dr. A. Noel Smith of Dover, treasurer; and Dr. Miah D. Sullivan of Dover auditor (Portsmouth Herald, October 29, 1909).

M.A.H. Hart, a general practice physician, aged forty-eight years (b. NH), headed a Milton (“Milton 3-Ponds”) household at the time of the Thirteenth (1910) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of ten years), Estella M. Hart, aged forty-six years (b. VT), and his children, Wentworth Hart, at school, aged nineteen years (b. NH), and Ezrah D. Hart, aged thirteen years (b. NH). M.A.H. Hart owned their house, free-and-clear. Estelle Hart was the mother of two children, of whom two were still living.

The Strafford County and District Medical Society elected Dr. M.A.H. Hart of Milton as its President at their 103rd Annual Meeting, which was held at Kimball House in Dover, NH, October 27, 1910 (NH Medical Society, 1911).

The NH legislature granted incorporation of the Nute Charitable Association, April 5, 1911. Its initial trustees were Everett F. Fox, Charles A. Jones, M.A.H. Hart, Harry L. Avery, Bard B. Plummer, Joseph H. Avery, Walter E. Looney, Chas. D. Fox, Moses G. Chamberlain, and their successors. The association’s object was to pay out interest money for the benefit of Milton’s “deserving poor” from a principal amount left as a residuary legacy by Lewis W. Nute’s last will (NH Secretary of State, 1911).

Local. The marriage is announced of Marion Wentworth Hart, son of Dr. and Mrs. M.A. Hart of Milton, to Miss Elsie Nichols of Hartford, Conn. (Farmington News, September 25, 1914).

Dr. Hart was a member of the Strafford County Republican Committee in September 1911, and September 1914.

STRAFFORD COUNTY. J. Frank Seavey, Dwight Hall, Thomas H. Dearborn, Clarence I. Hurd, Dover; Jeremiah Langley, Durham; Alonzo I. Nute, Farmington; Malcolm A.H. Hart, Milton; Joel W. McCrillis, R. De Witt Burnham, John L. Meader, Alcide Bilodeau, Rochester; John Q.A. Wentworth, Rollinsford; Sidney B. Stevens, James H. Joyce, John N. Haines, Somersworth; William S. Davis, Barrington (NH General Court, 1915).

Malcolm A.H. Hart appeared in the Who’s Who in New England reference publication in its 1915 edition. He was president of the Nute High School and Library trustees, and a trustee of the Nute Charitable [Fund] Association. He was a member also of several professional medical associations, as well as the Knights of Pythias (K.P.) and the Improved Order of Red Men (I.O.R.M.) social organizations.

HART, Malcom A.H., M.D.; b. Milton, N.H., Dec. 28, 1861; s. Simon and Mary A. (Wentworth) Hart; ed. common schs. and Berwick Acad., South Berwick, Me.; M.D., Univ. Med. Coll. (N.Y.U.), 1888; m. Apr. 17, 1890, Estelle L. Draper of Fair Haven, Vt. Practiced in Fall River, Mass., 1888-90; since in Milton, N.H. Pres. Bd. of Trustees, Nute High Sch. and Library; trustee, Nute Fund Assn. Mem. N.H. and Strafford County med. socs. Republican. Baptist. Mem. K.P., I.O.R.M. Address, Milton, N.H. (Marquis, 1915).

Dr. Malcolm A.H. Hart lost the NH State Senate election of November 1916 to Dr. John H. Bates by a vote of 2,213 (49.5%) to 2,255 (50.5%). Dr. Hart was both the “r & p” candidate, i.e., both the Republican and Prohibition party candidate, while Dr. Bates was the “d” candidate, i.e., the Democrat candidate. (One might recall that Dr. Hart’s elder brother, Justin Hart, (1857-1944) had been a saloon-keeper in 1880).

Local. The election at Milton left that town still snugly within the republican column, while no-license triumphed by a 65 vote margin. Dr. M.A.H. Hart, a resident of that town and republican candidate for senator from the twentieth district, was defeated by the democratic aspirant, Dr. Bates of Rochester, by 40 votes (Farmington News, November 10, 1916).

M.A.H. Hart appeared in the Milton business directory of 1917, as a physician, with his house at 30 So. Main street.

Marion Wentworth Hart of 122 Farmington Ave., Bristol, CT, registered in Bristol for the WW I military draft, June 5, 1917. He was married, aged twenty-six years (b. Gilmanton Iron Works, NH, March 4, 1891). He was a clerk for the New Departure Mfg. Co. of Bristol, CT. He had a wife and child, but claimed no exemption. He was of medium height, with a medium build, grey eyes, and light hair. (New Departure made ball bearings and a hub coaster brake for bicycles (and motorcycles). It eventually became a part of General Motors).

WEST MILTON. Dr. M.A.H. Hart of Milton recently lost a valuable driving horse which was in the Hannah Thurston pasture with a lot of other stock. After having been missing for several days the animal was found dead and apparently had suffered an illness (Farmington News, August 17, 1917).

2nd Lt. Ezra D. Hart of Company B, First Army Headquarters Regiment, gave his father, Malcolm A.H. Hart, of Milton, NH, as his next-of-kin when sailing on the Antigone troop transport from Hoboken, NJ, to France, March 30, 1918. 1st Lt. Ezra D. Hart did the same when he sailed from Brest, France, for the U.S., June 26, 1919.

Dr. Hart was at the forefront of Milton’s encounter with the so-called Spanish influenza pandemic of 1918.

To Avoid Spanish Influenza. • This disease is spread only by persons who have the disease; one person taking it directly from others. • Avoid crowds. Influenza is a crowd disease. • These germs must come into contact with the mouth or nose for a person to become inoculated. • Keep in the fresh air as much as possible; germs will not live in the fresh air. • Get plenty of sleep and do not worry or get frightened. • Keep clean, always wash hands after handling patients and don’t carry fingers to nose or mouth. • Smother your cough and sneeze in a handkerchief and don’t let anyone cough or sneeze in your face or towards you. Germs and disease travel in that way. • All eating and drinking utensils should be absolutely clean. • Take every precaution. • Keep your feet dry and warm. • Keep your houses well ventilated. Keep windows open, especially at night. • If you have backache, cough, if you sneeze, and are feverish, go to bed and call a physician and obey his orders (Farmington News, October 18, 1918).

M.A.H. Hart, M.D., of Milton, attended upon and signed the death certificates of seven of Milton’s ten fatal Spanish flu cases. (Two Farmington doctors and one Wakefield (Union) doctor signed the other three death certificates).

Malcolm A.H. Hart, a physician, aged fifty-eight years (B. NH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Fourteenth (1920) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Estell L. Hart, aged fifty-six years (b. VT), his son, Ezra D. Hart, aged twenty-three years (b. NH), and his boarder, Clara M. Roberts, a widow, aged eighty years (b. NH). He owned his house on Lower Main Street, in Milton Village, free-and-clear. They appeared in the census enumeration between the households of Natt E. Young, a draftsman, aged forty-three years (b. ME), and Fred C. Downs, an ice company laborer, aged forty-two years (b. NH).

Dr. Hart’s Milton barn, home, and office burned down in the early hours of Tuesday, March 22, 1921.

PERSONAL. Dr. M.A.H. Hart of Milton was in [Farmington] town Wednesday (Farmington News, September 15, 1922).

WEST MILTON. Dr. and Mrs. Hart attended the wedding of their youngest son, Ezra Hart, in Methuen, Mass., last Saturday, returning home Sunday (Farmington News, June 20, 1924).

PERSONAL. Friends of Dr. M.A.H. Hart of Milton regret to learn that he is in a Boston hospital tor surgery (Farmington News, January 9, 1925).

Malcolm A.H. (Estelle) Hart appeared in the Milton directory of 1930, as a physician, resident in Milton.

Malcom A. Hart, a general practice physician, aged sixty-eight years (b. NH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Fifteenth (1930) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Estelle Hart, aged sixty-six years (b. VT), and his servant, Laura Bragdon, a private family housewife, aged sixty-five years (b. NH). Malcolm A. Hart owned their house on South Main Street, which was valued at $5,000. They had a radio set.

Dr. M.A.H. Hart played some role in the Nute High School Class of 1931 graduation ceremonies. The newspaper account is a bit unclear as to whether he gave out diplomas or led the singing of “Nute, Beloved, Hail to Thee” (Farmington News, June 19, 1931).

Malcom A. Hart, a general practice medical doctor, aged seventy-eight years (b. NH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Sixteenth (1940) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Estelle L. Hart, aged seventy-six years (b. VT). Malcolm A. Hart owned their house on Main Street, in the Milton Community, which was valued at $2,500.

Estelle L. (Draper) Hart died at the NH State Hospital in Concord, NH, June 20, 1946, aged eighty-two years, eleven months, and fourteen days. (Her death certificate and the newspaper obituary below are at variance regarding the location of her death).

Deaths and Funerals. Mrs. Estelle L. Hart. BEDFORD, June 22. Funeral services for Mrs. Estelle L. (Draper) Hart, 82, wife of Dr. M.A.H. Hart of Milton, N.H., will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 in the Community Church at Milton. She died here Thursday. Mrs. Hart came to Bedford from Milton last November. She was a member of the Woman’s Relief Corps, Woman’s Club, Daughters of the American Revolution and Community Church in Milton. Besides her husband, she leaves two sons, M. Wentworth Hart of Bedford and Ezra D. Hart of Andover; a brother, George U. Draper of Fairhaven, Vt., and a sister, Mrs. Charles A. Bullock of Bristol, Conn. (Boston Globe, June 23, 1946).

Malcolm A.H. Hart died in Bedford, MA, January 25, 1949, aged eighty-seven years.

IN MEMORIAM. Dr. Malcolm Allen Hayes Hart. Many persons in this vicinity regret to learn of the death of Malcolm Allen Hayes Hart, M.D., aged 87 years, a former resident of Milton, which occurred Tuesday, January 25, at Bedford, Mass. Doctor Hart was born in Milton, December 28, 1861, and was a resident of that community for a great many years. Until his retirement he was a popular physician and practitioner in Milton and was known by many in this county. He was a member of Fraternal Lodge, No. 71, F.&A.M., of Farmington. He leaves two sons, Wentworth and Ezra Hart. Funeral services will be held this Thursday afternoon at two o’clock at the Milton Community church (Farmington News, January 28, 1949).

Rites Held for Milton, N.H., Doctor. Milton, N.H., Jan. 27. – Funeral services for Dr. Malcolm A.H. Hart, 87, who practiced here and at Lebanon, Me., for 57 years, were held this afternoon in the Community Church. Doctor Hart, who died at the home of his son, M. Wentworth Hart, in Bedford, Mass., was born in Milton, a son of Simon and Mary A. (Wentworth) Hart. He the oldest living member of the class of 1888 New York University College of medicine. He began the practice of his profession in Fall River, Mass., but after a period there returned to his native town where he made his home for 57 years. Four years ago he went to Bedford, Mass., to reside. Doctor Hart had served for many years as president of the Board of Trustees of Nute High School here. Interested in civic affairs, he represented the town of Milton in the state legislature In 1900 and 1901 [1901-02]. He was a member of the Fraternal Lodge of Masons in Farmington, the New Hampshire Consistory, New Hampshire Medical Association and the Community Church. He is survived by another son, Ezra D. Hart, Andover, Mass., three grandchildren, and three great grandchildren. Rev. Ralph V. Townsend, pastor of the church, officiated at the service, during which stores in the community closed. Among those attending were delegations from the various fraternal organizations with which he had been affiliated, some of the trustees and faculty of Nute High School. Burial was in the Prospect Hill Cemetery, Lebanon, Me. (Portland Press Herald, January 28, 1949).

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References:

Bowdoin College. (1899) Catalog of Bowdoin College and the Medical School of Maine. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=VV9CAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA4-PA61

B.R. Publishing Co. (1897). Biographical Review: Containing Life Sketches of Leading Citizens of Stafford and Belknap Countries, New Hampshire. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=C2sjAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA216

Find a Grave. (2010, February 6). Samuel Ringgold Harwood. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/47700572

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Marquis, A.N. (1915). Who’s Who in New England. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=RmUTAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA516

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NH Secretary of State. (1911). Laws of the State of New Hampshire. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=sp1GAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA380

NH State Board of Education. (1906). Biennial Report of the New Hampshire State Board of Education. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=6wBJAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA96

NH State Board of Health. (1907). Reports, 1905-06. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=Vo7unXlFPbgC&pg=PP353

NH State Board of Health. (1908). Twentieth Report of the State Board of Health of the State of New Hampshire, For the Fiscal Period Ending August 31, 1908. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=2cc_AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA313

NY University. (1908). General Alumni Catalogue of New York University, 1833-1907: Medical Alumni. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=PTxMAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA403

Ranney, Ambrose L. (1894). The Eye Treatment of Epileptics. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=kVo5AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA109

Wikipedia. (2020, July 7). Bowdoin College. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowdoin_College

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By Muriel Bristol | July 26, 2020

The Miltonia Mills were built by Henry H. Townsend in 1872. Operations were begun in 1873, Mr. Townsend and his partner, Mr. S.H. Atkins, carrying on the manufacture of felt under the firm name of Townsend & Co. Felt was the output of the mill up to the year 1881, when it was replaced by blankets, and the plant called the Miltonia Mills. The mill with the new factory and additions make up the plant. Mr. Henry Townsend died June 25, 1904, and was succeeded by his son, Mr. John E. Townsend, the present owner. Sixty-five hands are employed, and the industry has grown to extensive proportions (Scales, 1914).

Henry Herbert Townsend – 1872-1904

Henry Herbert Townsend was born in Dorchester, MA, August 12, 1842, son of John and Jane M. (Townsend) Townsend.

Henry Herbert Townsend of Milton, NH, aged seventeen years, graduated from Philips Exeter Academy, in Exeter, NH, with its Class of 1858.

Henry H. Townsend of Milton Mills appeared in a list of First and Second year students at the New Hampton Literary & Biblical Institution, in New Hampton, NH, in 1858 and 1859. (Charles B. Brackett, also of Milton Mills, appeared in the same lists). He appeared also in a list of Middle and Junior year students at the New Hampton Theological School, in 1860. (Charles A. Cutts, also of Milton Mills, and William H. Coffin of West Lebanon, Me., appeared in the same list).

John Townsend, a woolen manufacturer, aged fifty-two years (b. NH), headed a Milton (“Milton Mills”) household at the time of the Eighth (1860) Federal Census. His household included Eliza A. Townsend, aged thirty-seven years (b. NH), Jane R. Townsend, aged twenty-four years (b. NH), Caroline F. Townsend, aged twenty years (b. NH), Henry H. Townsend, aged seventeen years (b. NH), Ermina [Emma] M. Townsend, aged fourteen years (b. NH), Willie B. Townsend, aged ten years (b. NH), and Frank A. Townsend, aged five years (b. NH). John Townsend had real estate valued at $2,000 and personal estate valued at $8,000. His neighbor was [his younger brother,] Joseph Townsend, a woolen manufacturer, aged thirty-seven years (b. England).

John Townsend, a merchant, aged fifty-five years (b. England), headed a Brookline, MA, household at the time of the Second (1865) Massachusetts State Census. His household included his wife, Eliza Townsend, aged forty-two years (b. Milton, ME), Jane R. Townsend, aged twenty-nine years (b. Dorchester), Caroline L. Townsend, aged twenty-five years (b. Dorchester), Henry H. Townsend, a clerk, aged twenty-two years (b. Dorchester), Emma M. Townsend, aged nineteen years (b. Milton, N.H.), William B. Townsend, aged fourteen years (b. Milton, N.H.), Frank A. Townsend, aged ten years (b. Milton, N.H.), and Flora G. Townsend, aged two years (b. Milton, N.H.), and [his servant,] Mary Welsh, aged twenty years (b. Ireland).

John Townsend was a principal owner and treasurer of the Littleton Woolen Company of Littleton, NH, between 1865 and 1869. Henry H. Townsend worked there first as a clerk and later as the superintendent.

John Townsend was treasurer, and Leland, Allen & Bates selling agents, while Henry H. Townsend, a son of the treasurer, became superintendent. In 1869 Jordan, Marsh & Co. purchased controlling interest and Capt. William H. Stevens became and agent (Jackson, 1905).

Henry H. Townsend married in Milton, June 7, 1870, Agnes J. Brierley, he of Boston and she of Milton, NH. She was born in Lowell, MA, May 17, 1844, daughter of Edward and Margaret M. (Thompson) Brierley. (See also Milton Mills’ Brierley Mill – c1864-18). He was a merchant, aged twenty-seven years; she was aged twenty-six years. Rev. N.D. Adams of Union, NH, performed the ceremony. (This record appeared also in Boston vital records).

H.H. Townsend appeared in the Milton directories of 1873, 1874, and 1875, as a manufacturer of table covers, or table and piano covers.

Henry H. Townsend, of Milton Mills, NH, filed for a U.S. Patent (#137,638), January 17, 1873, for his invention of “Presses for Printing Fabrics.” R.H. Eddy and S.N. Piper signed as his witnesses (U.S. Patent Office, January 1873). Robert H. Eddy was a Boston patent solicitor, the first in fact, and civil engineer. S.N. Piper, was a mechanical expert, who worked with him (American Publishing, 1889).

A soap salesman interviewed Henry Townsend in Milton Mills, in or around 1877, and “sold him,” i.e., convinced him to place an industrial soap order. Soap is used in the fulling process.

Townsend & Co. appeared in the Milton directories of 1876, 1877, 1880, 1881, and 1882, as manufacturers of table and piano covers. The “company” of Townsend & Co included now his brother-in-law, Sullivan H. Atkins, as his partner.

Sullivan Holman Atkins was born in Canaan, ME, February 14, 1837, son of Thomas and Lucinda (Fairbanks) Atkins. He married (1st) in Somersworth, NH, April 30, 1857, Frances Wilkins. She was born in Waterford, ME, June 18, 1838, daughter of William K. and Lorena (Lovejoy) Wilkins. She died in Berwick, ME, January 26, 1865, aged twenty-six years.

Atkins appeared in the Boston directory of 1867, as a partner in the woolen firm of Atkins, Remick & Brackett, with its offices at 47 Summer street, and his home at Somerville, MA.

Sullivan H. Atkins married (2nd) in Brookline, MA, December 25, 1865, Jane R. “Jennie” Townsend, he of Great Falls, i.e., Somersworth, NH, and she of Brookline, MA. He was a merchant, aged thirty years and she was aged twenty-nine years. She was born in Dorchester, MA, in 1836, daughter of John and Jane M. (Townsend) Townsend (and elder sister of Henry H. Townsend). She died of consumption, i.e., tuberculosis, in Holyoke, MA, June 23, 1869, aged thirty-two years.

Sullivan H. Atkins married (3rd) in Boston, MA, May 14, 1870, Sarah A. “Abby” Ricker, he of Boston and she of Great Falls, i.e., Somersworth, NH. He was a salesman, aged thirty-four years, and she was aged twenty-five years. She was born in Great Falls. NH, circa 1845, daughter of Stephen and Sarah Ricker.

Sullivan Atkins, a dry goods clerk, aged thirty-four years (b. ME), headed a Somerville, MA, household at the time of the Ninth (1870) Federal Census. His household included his [third] wife, Abbie Atkins, keeps house, aged twenty-five years (b. NH), and his daughter, Winnie Atkins, at school, aged eight years (b. NH). Sullivan Atkins had personal estate valued at $2,000.

Sullivan H. Atkins, of Melrose, MA, filed for a U.S. Patent (#136,636), in April 1873, for his invention of “Water-Proof Furze Fabrics.” His invention was intended to line overshoes, boots, horse blankets, carriage robes, and various other purposes. The same Robert H. Eddy that served as patent solicitor for Henry H. Townsend signed as his witnesses, along with J.R. Snow (U.S. Patent Office, March 1873).

Sullivan H. Atkins and Luther Harris were elected as Milton’s state representatives in March 1876 (Boston Post, March 15, 1876).

Townsend & Company’s woolen felt factory suspended production for a time in early 1878.

TELEGRAPHIC NOTES. Townsend & Co., at Milton Mills, N.H., have suspended, throwing 30 hands out of employment (St. Albans Daily Messenger,  January 3, 1878).

Sullivan H. Atkins, a felt manufacturer, aged forty-five years (b. ME), headed a Milton (“Milton Mills Village”) household at the time of the Tenth (1880) Federal Census. His household included his [third] wife, Sarah A. Atkins, keeping house, aged thirty-five years (b. NH), his children, Winnifred Atkins, at house, aged sixteen years (b. NH), Mary E. Atkins, at house, aged six years (b. NH), and George K. Atkins, at house, aged four years (b. NH), and his sister, Emma J. Atkins, at house, aged twenty-eight years (b. ME).

Henry H. Townsend bought out Sullivan H. Atkins’ share in Townsend & Company in 1880. (The partnership name continued to appear in Milton business directories for several years). Sullivan H. Atkins remained in the area for a time. He went on to become a Baptist minister (Pastor, Emmanuel Baptist Church in West Roxbury, MA, in 1905). He died in Melrose, MA, May 5, 1918, aged eighty-one years.

Alton. Mr. Sullivan Atkins, of Milton Mills, preached at the Baptist church Sunday forenoon and lectured on temperance in the evening. Mr. Atkins is a very forcible speaker and handled the great question without gloves. He believes in being radically right and has little confidence in lukewarm work. He dealt out some heavy blows to the tobacco users that made the chewing deacons and the smoking church members, as well as the sinner who indulges in the pernicious habit, squirm in their seats. Ich Dien (Farmington News, February 5, 1886).

(“Ich Dien” is German for “I Serve,” which has been the motto of the English royal heir since the Battle of Crecy (1346). Whether it relates somehow to the article or is a pseudonym for its author is not entirely clear).

Henry H. Townsend, a woolen manufacturer (felt), aged thirty-seven years (b. MA), headed a Milton (“Milton Mills Village”) household at the time of the Tenth (1880) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Agnes J. Townsend, keeps house, aged thirty-five years (b. MA), and his children, John E. Townsend, at school, aged eight years (b. NH), and Grace M. Townsend, at house, aged six years (b. NH).

It would later be said that Henry H. Townsend “met with reverses” in this period, but overcame them honestly, paying in full his obligations. It was about this time also that he began to manufacture blankets, as well as his previous line of table and piano covers.

TRADE EMBARASSMENTS. NEW HAMPSHIRE. MILTON MILLS. Henry H. Townsend, flannel manufacturer, assigned. He claimed about $20,000 in mills, machinery, etc. (Bradstreet, 1884). 

H.H. Townsend appeared in the Milton directories of 1884, 1887, 1889, 1892 [John Townsend], 1894, 1898, 1901, and 1904, as a manufacturer of woolen goods.

Henry H. Townsend, who had 2 sets of cards in his Milton Mills factory, endorsed a circular letter or petition opposing removal or reduction of wool tariffs, in July 1885 (National Association of Wool Manufacturers, 1885). (The nearby Waumbeck Co., who had 10 sets of cards in its Milton Mills factory, also endorsed).

Mr. and Mrs. Henry H. Townsend of Milton Mills, NH, were guests at the Bay View hotel in Wells, ME, in late July 1888 (Boston Globe, July 29, 1888).

Hy. H. Townsend was agent in 1888 for the East Lake Mills, a Milton Mills woolen blanket manufacturer, with 3 sets of cards and 16 looms. (“East Lake Mills” might be thought to have been the name of Townsend’s mill prior to its being named “Miltonia Mills”).

Milton Mills experienced a contentious shoe factory strike in 1889. (The strike took place against the Varney & Lane company, who had taken over the former Brierley Mill). Townsend’s brother-in-law, Edward J Brierley, who was then a dry goods merchant, spoke in favor of the strikers.

Henry H. Townsend represented Milton Mills on a citizens’ committee formed in 1890 to promote construction of a railroad branch line between Wakefield, NH’s Union station and Portland, ME. It would have been tremendously beneficial for his mill to have a railroad connection.

MILTON MILLS. There is a scheme now in progress to run a connecting branch line of railroad, tapping the Boston & Maine near Union, passing through Milton Mills, Horne’s Mills, this state, Acton, North Shapleigh, Newfield, Limerick and Cornish, Me., to the Portland and Ogdensburg. This will be about thirty-five miles long, through some of the best country in Maine and Eastern New Hampshire. Opening up thirteen fine water privileges and several large ponds with excellent facilities for ice cutting. A committee of five has been chosen, one from each town, to solicit subscriptions for the survey, $1,000 being required or $200 from each town benefited. The following well-known citizens comprise this committee: Milton Mills, H.H. Townsend; Acton, E.J. Brierly; Shapleigh, Edward Hargraves; Limerick, Luther Moore, and Newfield, George Hannaford. The spirit prompting this enterprise is of the right kind; New England men applying their energy and push to “booming” New England towns, instead of going “West,” as advised by the late Horace Greeley, cannot fail to reap a bright reward in the near future (Farmington News, March 21, 1890).

Despite the enterprising spirit, energy and push mentioned, construction of this proposed branch line never took place.

H.H. Townsend of Milton Mills, NH, was a guest at the American House hotel in Boston, MA, in early October 1891 (Boston Globe, October 9, 1891).

Agnes J. (Brierley) Townsend died December 26, 1891, aged forty-seven years.

MACHINERY WANTS. The East Lake mills, Milton Mills, N.H., are expected to put in new cards and machinery (Fibre & Fabric, January 16, 1892).

Henry H. Townsend, of Milton Mills, was a guest at the Kearsarge House hotel in North Conway, NH, in August 1894 (Boston Globe, August 5, 1894). Henry H. Townsend (and the estate of his late father, John Townsend,) appeared in the Boston directories of 1894 through 1906, as having an office at Room 223 in the John Hancock Mutual Insurance Company building, at 178 Devonshire street in Boston, MA, with his house at Milton, NH.

Henry H. Townsend, a woolen manufacturer, aged fifty-seven years (b. MA), headed a Milton (“Milton Mills Village”) household at the time of the Twelfth (1900) Federal Census. He was a widower, residing alone.

NEWS OF THE STATE. Charles Johnson of Hollis and Fred Googins of Sanford, Me., are in Milton Mills where they are building a brick wheel house and mixing room for H.H. Townsend. They will also build foundations for an engine and dynamo for the same party. In all they will lay about two hundred thousand bricks (Farmington News, July 19, 1901).

Wool Manfrs. NEW HAMPSHIRE. MILTON MILLS, Stafford, Co. (S.E.) Pop. 680. Stage. Union (4m), RR107. Townsend, H.H. Miltonia Mill, Blankets, 3 Sets Cards, 21 Broad Looms, 720 Sp., Dye and Finish. 1 Boiler, 2 W.W. Thos. Kelly & Co., N.Y., Boston and Chicago, S. Agts. (Davison, 1901).

Henry H. Townsend died in Milton Mills, June 25, 1904, aged sixty-one years, ten months, and thirteen days.

DEATHS. TOWNSEND – In Milton Mills, N.H., June 25. Henry H. Townsend, 62 yrs. Funeral at Milton Mills, N.H., Wednesday, June 29, at 2 p.m.. Relatives and friends invited to attend without further notice (Boston Globe, June 27, 1904).

HENRY H. TOWNSEND. Mr. Henry H. Townsend of Milton Mills, N.H., who died there recently was born at Dorchester, Mass., on August 12, 1842. He commenced his career in the business world as book-keeper for the Littleton, N.H., woolen mills and in 1871 he began manufacturing felt at Milton Mills, N.H. In 1882 he started to manufacture blankets in a small way, gradually increasing the capacity of the concern until it is now one of the best-equipped mills in New England, although not very large. It consists of three sets of cards, 24 Knowles fancy looms and an output or 225 to 250 pairs per day. Mr. Townsend met with reverses in his business earlier in life, but overcame them honestly, paying in full his obligations, and has been very successful in later years. He commenced to learn the woolen business in his father’s mill when not attending school, and, in fact, he was always around the mill from boyhood. Mr. Townsend was a very charitable man in his way, never seeking notoriety as to his bequests and never turning away those who were needy or worthy. He continued in active business until a few weeks prior to his decease (American Textile Reporter, 1904).

Deaths. Henry H. Townsend of Milton Mills, N.H., died recently. In the early seventies he formed á copartnership and commenced the manufacture felt goods for the rubber trade, etc. Later he built a new mill and began weaving blankets. This mill has since been enlarged and refitted with the most modern and up-to-date machinery and considered one of the best equipped mills in state. Mr. Townsend will be very much missed, not only by his only family, but by a very wide circle of friends and by his employees (Lord & Nagle, 1904).

Henry H. Townsend of Milton had signed his last will in Milton, September 26, 1895. Elbridge W. Fox, Everett F. Fox, and George S. Lovering signed as witnesses. The will was proved in Dover, NH, in late July 1904 (Strafford County Probate, 124:76). E.W. Fox appeared in the Milton Mills directory of 1894 as a conveyancer, i.e., someone who wrote up deeds, bills of sale, and, apparently, wills. His son, E.F. Fox kept a Milton Mills furniture store. George S. Lovering was a peddler and traveling salesman, who lived on Church street in Milton Mills.

John Edward Townsend – 1904-1914

John E. Townsend was born in Milton Mills, September 9, 1872, son of Henry H. and Agnes J. (Brierley) Townsend.

John E. Townsend was educated at Milton Mills and Lindsey University, Me. He afterward entered his father’s office and continued therein until the latter’s death. He then took charge and operated the mill until 1906, when he bought the plant of the estate and conducts the mill along the line of fine blanket manufacturing, affording constant employment to sixty-five men. As superintendents he has men well-known for their efficiency, including F.H. Simms, A.T. Loud, J.F. Archbold and E.A. Wentworth. This mill is classed as a 4-set mill and is equipped with electricity, the plant site covering two acres (Scales, 1914).

F.H. Simes of Milton Mills, NH, received a U.S. patent for a loom invention in late 1901 (Boston Globe, January 4, 1902). F.H. Simes, a woolen mill weaver, aged forty-two years (b. NH), headed an Acton, ME, household at the time of the Thirteenth (1910) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of twenty-three years), Mary A. [(Smith)] Simes, aged forty-one years (b. NH), and his boarder, Ethel Birch, a woolen mill weaver, aged twenty years (b. ME). F.H. Simes owned their house, free-and-clear. Mary A. Simes was the mother of one child, of whom one was still living. Frederick H. Simes (1868-1953) was mill superintendent in 1920 and 1930.

Archie T. Lowd, a woolen mill finisher, aged forty years (b. ME), headed an Acton, ME, household at the time of the Thirteenth (1910) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of seventeen years), Clara M. [(Page)] Lowd, aged forty years (b. NH), his children, Albert P. Lowd, aged eight years (b. ME), and Marion P. Lowd, aged two years (b. ME), and his mother, Sarah E. [(Tasker)] Lowd, a widow, aged seventy-seven years (b. NH). Archie T. Lowd owned their farm, free-and-clear. Clara M. Lowd was the mother of two children, of whom two were still living. Archie Tasker Lowd (1870-1930) was boss finisher in 1920.

John Frank Archibald (1852-1924) appeared in the Milton directory of 1900, as boss carder at the woolen mill, with his house at 92 Main street, Milton Mills. John F. Archibald, a wool carder, aged forty-seven years (b. NH), headed a Milton (“Milton Mills Village”) household at the time of the Twelfth (1900) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of twenty-three years), Hannah [(Greenleaf)] Archibald, aged forty-five years (b. NH), and his daughter, Emma Archibald, a shoe closer-on, aged nineteen years (b. NH). John F. Archibald rented their house. Hannah Archibald was the mother of two children, of whom two were still living. He was a packer in 1910 and foreman in 1920.

Edgar A. Wentworth (1856-1932). Edgar A. Wentworth, a farmer, aged fifty-seven years (b. NH), headed a Milton (“Milton Mills”) household at the time of the Thirteenth (1910) Federal Census. His household included his [second] wife (of nineteen years), Cora [(Lord)] Wentworth, aged fifty-four years (b. ME), and his daughter, Dora Wentworth, aged seventeen years (b. NH). Edgar A. Wentworth owned their farm, free-and-clear. Cora Lowd was the mother of one child, of whom one was still living.

Mr. Townsend married Miss Eda B. Loud, a daughter of Elbridge and Melissa Loud of Acton, Me., and they have two children: Henry A., attends the Brunswick School at Greenwich, Conn., and Agnes M., who is a student at Brookline, Mass. In politics a Republican Mr. Townsend was elected in 1903 a member of the New Hampshire legislature. He is a thirty-second degree Mason and belongs also to the Odd Fellows at Milton Mills. The handsome family residence is on the corner of Western avenue and Church street, Milton Mills (Scales, 1914).

John E. Townsend married in Milton, January 28, 1896, Eda B. Lowd, he of Milton, and she of Acton, ME. He was a clerk, aged twenty-four years, and she was a milliner, aged twenty-four years. Rev. R.L. Sheaff, of Wakefield, NH, performed the ceremony. She was born in Acton, ME, 1870, daughter of Elbridge and Melissa M. (Buck) Lowd.

In an 1897 Boston Globe article extolling the wonders of Great East Lake as a fishing destination, John Townsend’s steam-powered launch was mentioned.

There are two steam launches on the pond. One of these belongs to the Goodall camp. and the other is owned by John Townsend of Milton Mills (Boston Globe, August 29 1897).

John E. Townsend, a woolen mill superintendent, aged twenty-eight years (b. NH), headed a Milton (“Milton Mills”) household at the time of the Twelfth (1900) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of four years), Eda B. Townsend, aged thirty years (b. ME), and his children, Henry A. Townsend, aged two years (b. NH), and Agnes M. Townsend, aged zero years (b. NH, May). John E. Townsend owned their house, free-and-clear. Eda B. Townsend was the mother of two children, of whom two were still living.

John E. Townsend and Dr. Jeremiah S. Elkins advertised for someone knowledgeable in photography in 1902. They appear to have been amateur photographers seeking some professional advice. (Other interpretations are possible).

The Henry H. Townsend Estate appeared in the Milton directory of 1905-06 as a Milton Mills manufacturer of woolen goods. John E. Townsend appeared in the Milton directories of 1909 and 1912, as a Milton Mills manufacturer of woolen goods.

John E. Townsend was among the first to have an automobile in Milton Mills, and in the state. He had initially a 10-horsepower White Sewing Machine Company steam automobile, registered with license plate #204 (Blanchard, 1905). In the following year his registration / license plate was #1055, likely reflecting a change in vehicle. By 1909 he had a 45-horsepower Nordyke & Marmon company gasoline automobile, registered as #3100, as well as a 40-horsepower Overland gasoline automobile, registered as #4600. His cousin (and brother-in-law), John C. Townsend, was also a motorist. (See also Milton Automobiles in 1906-07 and Milton Automobiles in 1909-10).

MACHINERY WANTED AND FOR SALE. FOR SALE. 2 Davis & Furber Mules, 240 Spindles, 1¾-inch gauge. In good condition, may be seen at work. 3-11 Roll Cleveland Condensers, one nearly new. JOHN E. TOWNSEND, Milton Mills, N.H. (American Textile Reporter, 1908).

Milton Mills, N.H. The blanket mill closed recently for a few days for repairs to the boiler and to give the employes a day off to attend the Rochester fair (Fibre & Fabric, October 2, 1909).

Some later Miltonia Mills advertisements promoted Admiral Peary’s use of their blankets on his polar expeditions. (Peary claimed to have reached the North Pole in 1909).

MILTON MILLS, Stafford Co. (S.E.) Pop. 1,600. Stage, Union (4m), RR47. Townsend, John E. Miltonia Mill. Blankets. 3 Sets Cards. 28 broad Looms. 720 Sp. Dye and Finish. 1 Boiler. 2 W.W. Electric Power. Employ 65. Thos. Kelly & Co. N.Y. and Boston, S. Agts. (Davison, 1910).

John E. Townsend’s fur-lined coat was stolen from his stable office in Milton Mills in February 1910. He traveled to Fresno, CA, in March 1910. (It would have taken the better part of a week to get there by train).

PERSONAL MENTION. J.E. Townsend of Milton Mills, New Hampshire, is at the Sequoia [Hotel] (Fresno Morning Republican (Fresno, CA), April 8, 1910).

John E. Townsend, a woolen blankets manufacturer, aged thirty-nine years (b. NH), headed a Milton (“Milton Mills”) household at the time of the Thirteenth (1910) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of fourteen years), Eda B. Townsend, aged thirty-nine years (b. ME), and his children, Henry A. Townsend, aged twelve years (b. NH), and Agnes M. Townsend, aged ten years (b. NH). John E. Townsend owned their house, free-and-clear.

Richard Edward Brierley married in the First Methodist Church in Rochester, NH, October 26, 1910, Gertrude Alberta Ricker, he of Fitchburg, MA, and she of Rochester. John E. Townsend of Milton Mills, who was Brierley’s cousin, was an usher at the ceremony (Boston Globe, October 27, 1910).

HELP WANTED. WANTED. One or two families of weavers. One loom work. White warp and filling. Low rents. MILTONIA BLANKET MILLS, Milton Mills, N.H. (Fibre & Fabric, April 15, 1911).

Enlargements and Improvements. New Hampshire, Milton Mills. A new engine for the blanket mill of John E. Townsend has been received. As noted several weeks ago the mill has been running only part of the time on account of low water in the mill pond (McGraw-Hill, 1911).

TOWNSEND, JOHN E. (MILTONIA MILL.) Milton Mills, N.H. Production and Equipment: Blankets; 3 sets of cards; 28 wide looms; 720 mule spindles; 1 boiler, 2 water wheels; electric power. Dye and finish. Employ 65 (Bennett, 1912).

John E. Townsend died in Milton Mills, September 8, 1914, aged forty-two years, eleven months, and thirty days.

John E. Townsend Dead. MILTON MILL, N.H, Sept 9 – John E. Townsend, a prominent blanket manufacturer died yesterday after a long illness. He leaves a wife, son and daughter (Boston Globe, September 9, 1914).

DEATHS. TOWNSEND – In Milton Mills, N.H., Sept. 8, John E. Townsend, in his 43d year. Funeral Saturday, Sept. 12, at 2 P.M. (Boston Globe, September 10, 1914).

Eda B. (Lowd) Townsend died in Haverhill, MA, February 2, 1932.

To be continued.

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See also Milton Mills Mfg. Co. & the Waumbeck Companies – 1837-98 and Milton Mills’ Brierley Mill – c1864-18.

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References:

American Publishing & Engraving Co. (1889). Illustrated Boston: The Metropolis of New England. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=Vu4JAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA175

American Textile Reporter. (1904, July 21). American Textile Reporter. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=H2ZYAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA763

American Textile Reporter. (1908, February 13). American Textile Reporter. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=8nJYAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA335

Atlas Publishing Co. (1917). Waste Trade Journal. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=5adAAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA274

Bennett, Frank P. & Co. (1922). American Wool and Cotton Reporter. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=D_ZYAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA585

Blanchard, F.S. & Co. (1905). Red Book: Interstate Automobile Guide. New England. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=JjpKAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA352

Bradstreet Company. (1884). Bradstreet’s Weekly: A Business Digest. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=a_lDAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA141

Davison Publishing Co. (1901). The “Blue Book” Textile Directory of the United States and Canada. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=nyMqAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA247

Davison Publishing Co. (1910). The “Blue Book” Textile Directory of the United States and Canada. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=R-EBfPEK7fIC&pg=PA255

Find a Grave. (2013, July 29). J. Frank Archibald. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/114596901/j-frank-archibald

Find a Grave. (2013, August 17). Fred H. Simes. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/115612396

Find a Grave. (2013, August 12). Henry H. Townsend. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/115352239

Find a Grave. (2013, August 12). John E. Townsend. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/115352496

Find a Grave. (2013, August 16). Edgar A. Wentworth. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/115565651/edgar-a-wentworth

Lord & Nagle. (1904, August). Textile World Record. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=zw_OAAAAMAAJ&pg=RA5-PA171

McGraw-Hill. (1911). Textile World. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=_5JAAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PA150

National Association of Wool Manufacturers. (1885). Bulletin of the National Association of Wool Manufacturers. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=zoBAAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA325

Palmer, J.E.. (1888). The “Blue Book” Pocket Directory of the Textile Manufacturers of the United States and Canada. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=szUqAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA93

U.S. Patent Office. (1873, January). Specifications and Drawings of Patents Issued from the U.S. Patent Office. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=jMk6AQAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PA328

U.S. Patent Office. (1873, March). Specifications and Drawings of Patents Issued from the U.S. Patent Office. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=ksg6AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA267

Wikipedia. (2020, June 14). White Automobile Company. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Motor_Company

Youtube. (2015, July 12). Bemidji Woolen Mills Carding Machine. Retrieved from www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hVwpGxM5Aw

Youtube. (2016, June 7). Crompton & Knowles Power Loom Running. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IicxSu9rHro

Youtube. (2011, October 20). Spinning Mule. Retrieved from www.youtube.com/watch?v=RczuXg5nhMI

By Muriel Bristol | July 19, 2020

The Milton Mills Manufacturing Company (1837-1864) was incorporated in 1837, and established itself as a lathe and wood-turning mill (that replaced an original woolen mill).

Gilman Jewett, Nathaniel Jewett, Asa Jewett and a Mr. Wedgewood transformed the old woolen mill into a lathe and turning mill about sixty-five or seventy years [1838-43] ago, after which it was operated more or less irregularly up to the year 1847 [1845] (Mitchell-Cony, 1908).

English immigrant John Townsend took over their mill in or around 1845 and used it to manufacture woolen flannel. It continued in this line of business, through several owners, until it burned down in 1898. Its site is now the Waumbeck Park in Milton Mills.

Milton Mills Manufacturing Company – Gilman Jewett (1777-1856) – 1837-4?

Gilman Jewett was born in Milton, January 18, 1777, son of Paul and Elizabeth (Gilman) Jewett.

He married (1st) in Exeter, NH, September 10, 1798, Sally Mead, he of Rochester, NH, and she of Newmarket, NH. She was born in Newmarket, NH, September 16, 1775, daughter of Stephen and Lucy (Wright) Mead. She died circa 1817. Her children were Sarah D., Eliza, Paul, and Asa Jewett.

He married (2nd) in Milton, circa 1820, Ann S. Nutter. She was born in Newington, NH, in December 1790, daughter of Hatevil and Susanna (Shackford) Nutter. (Note her father’s male Puritan “virtue” name: “Hate-Evil.” It is of a kind with more familiar female ones, such as Constance, Faith, Hope, Charity, Chastity, Prudence, etc.).

Gilman Jewett was one of nine named incorporators of the Milton Social Library in June 1822.

The NH legislature granted Gilman Jewett and his associates incorporation as the Milton Mills Manufacturing Company in January 1837. They transformed an old woolen mill to a lathe and turning mill in 1837-38.

The Milton Mills Manufacturing Company was organized in 1837, and in that and the following year built their mill, and after running it a few years transferred the business to Durgin & Co. (Scales, 1914).

President Zachary Taylor’s administration appointed Gilman Jewett as Milton Mills postmaster, April 30, 1849. Such appointments were political sinecures in those days, from which one might infer that Jewett was a Whig, as was Taylor. Gilman Jewett succeeded James Berry in that position. Berry’s tenure coincided with the presidency of Democrat James K. Polk.

Gilman Jewett, a postmaster, aged seventy-three years (b. NH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Seventh (1850) Federal Census. His household included Ann S. Jewett, aged fifty-nine years (b. NH), Joseph Sharp, a manufacturer, aged forty years (b. England), Hannah Sharp, aged twenty-five years (b. England), Benjamin Sharp, a manufacturer, aged twenty-five years (b. England), Susan A. Hubbard, aged sixteen years (b. ME), Susan S. Nutter, aged forty-six years (b. NH), John McDonald, a tailor, aged thirty-five years (b. Scotland), and Joseph Robinson, a manufacturer, aged thirty-six years (b. England). Gilman Jewett had real estate valued at $2,000. Jewett’s household appeared next to that of John Townsend, agent for the Milton Mills Manufacturing Co., aged forty-three years (b. England).

Gilman Jewett died in Milton, May 24, 1856. Ann S. (Nutter) Jewett died in Milton, November 28, 1870.

Milton Mills Manufacturing Company – Durgin & Co. – 184?-45

Gilman Jewett and his associates sold Milton Mills Manufacturing Company to Durgin & Co., who remain as yet a bit elusive. They seem to have been in the wood business, rather than the wool business. Durgin & Co. sold to John Townsend.

Milton Mills Manufacturing Company – John Townsend (1807-1891) – 1845-64

In 1845-46 the whole property was bought by John Townsend and was run successfully by him for several [nineteen] years (Scales, 1914).

John Townsend was born in Wilton, Wiltshire, England, October 22, 1807, son of Joseph and Sarah “Sally” (Palmer) Townsend, and was baptized there January 8, 1808.

He married (1st) in Dorchester, MA, January 14, 1834, Jane Matilda “Matilda” Townsend, both of Dorchester. Rev. David Sandford performed the ceremony. She was born in Wilton, Wiltshire, England, September 18, 1815, daughter of Thomas B. and Jane (Randall) Townsend, She died in Dorchester, MA, December 24, 1843.

John Townsend “hired” a colored flannel factory in Gilsum, NH, in 1838, and produced flannel there until 1845. George Learoyd and Thomas Townsend bought it then and produced flannel there until 1847 (Hayward, 1881). George Learoyd (1805-1887) was the brother-in-law, and Charles T. “Thomas” Townsend (1810-1881) was the brother, of John Townsend.

John Townsend married (2nd) in Boston, MA, April 22, 1844, Eliza A. Townsend (sister of the first wife). She was born in Milton, MA, April 8, 1823, daughter of Thomas B. and Jane (Randall) Townsend. She died in Needham, MA, September 19, 1896.

John Townsend, the grandfather, was born in England and came to the United States in 1819, and to Milton Mills, N.H., about 1845. He purchased the plant of the Milton Manufacturing Company and continued it, carrying on woolen manufacturing under the name of John Townsend (Scales, 1914).

The Milton Mills company of Milton, NH, having John Townsend as its president, appeared in the New England Mercantile Union trade directory of 1849. It produced 235,000 yards of flannel annually, from 42 tons of material. It had 1,000 spindles, 18 looms, and employed fifteen male and sixteen female workers (Pratt, 1849).

Several of John Townsend’s brothers worked with him. An elder brother, William B. Townsend, died in Milton Mills village, November 23, 1847, aged forty-four years. A younger brother, Joseph Townsend, married in Milton, January 6, 1850, Ruth Paul Wentworth, he of Milton and she of Acton, ME.

John Townsend, agent for Milton Mills Manufacturing Co., aged forty-three years (b. England), headed a Milton household at the time of the Seventh (1850) Federal Census. His household included Eliza A. Townsend, aged twenty-nine years (b. MA), Jane R. Townsend, aged fourteen years (b. MA), Henry Townsend, aged eight years (b. MA), Emma Townsend, aged four years (b. NH), and William B. Townsend, aged one month (b. NH). They shared a two-family dwelling with the household of Michael Folley, a manufacturer, aged thirty years (b. Ireland). Folley’s household included Margaret Folley, aged twenty-eight years (b. Ireland), and Betsy Dore, aged fifty years (b. NH). Neither household had any real estate. Their neighbor was Gilman Jewett, postmaster, aged seventy-three years (b. NH); he had real estate valued at $2,000.

English immigrant Joseph Robinson (1812-1895) was Townsend’s mill superintendent and dyer in the early 1850s. (See Milton in the News – 1895). He resided with Gilman Jewett in 1850 (see Jewett above).

Milton Mills – John Townsend proprietor; capital, $50,000; manufacture flannels; have 18 looms and 1200 spindles. Amount manufactured per annum, $90,000; Do. stock used per annum, 120,000 pounds wool; Number of operatives, 35 (Charlton, 1857).

John Townsend, a woolen manufacturer, aged fifty-two years (b. NH), headed a Milton (“Milton Mills”) household at the time of the Eighth (1860) Federal Census. His household included Eliza A. Townsend, aged thirty-seven years (b. NH), Jane R. Townsend, aged twenty-four years (b. NH), Caroline F. Townsend, aged twenty years (b. NH), Henry H. Townsend, aged seventeen years (b. NH), Ermina M. Townsend, aged fourteen years (b. NH), Willie B. Townsend, aged ten years (b. NH), and Frank A. Townsend, aged five years (b. NH). John Townsend had real estate valued at $2,000 and personal estate valued at $8,000. His neighbor was [his younger brother,] Joseph Townsend, a woolen manufacturer, aged thirty-seven years (b. England).

Mr. Townsend was a wonderfully astute buyer, and manufacturer, and one who understood the art of selling the manufactured goods. As a result he was very successful (Mitchell-Cony, 1908).

John Townsend succeeded John L. Swinerton as Milton Mills postmaster, June 22, 1860. He received his appointment during the administration of Democrat President James Buchanan, which might suggest that he was a Democrat too. He was, in turn, replaced by Henry S. Swasey, April 12, 1861, during the administration of Republican President Abraham Lincoln.

Destruction of a Flannel Factory. Great Falls, N.H., Oct. 19. The flannel factory of John Townsend, at Milton Mills, N.H., was burnt this morning. The loss is estimated at $30,000, on which there is a partial insurance. The factory was running on a government contract for army flannels (Baltimore Sun, October 22, 1861).

Miscellaneous Items. The flannel factory belonging to John Townsend. at Milton Mills, N.H., was burnt Saturday morning, at about 2 o’clock. Loss about $30,000; partially insured. The mill was running on a government contract (New England Farmer, October 26, 1861).

John Townsend rebuilt in the same location a larger plant to replace that which had burned.

In June 1863, he opened a much larger factory which replaced the mill that had been burned, and after continuing the manufacture of flannels for some time, sold the mill to Mudge, Sawyer & Co., of Boston, Mass. (Mitchell-Cony, 1908).

John Townsend appeared in the Vulpes Letter of 1864, as having the best woolen mill in New England, which was then running “full blast.”

The Milton Mills Co., manufacturers, paid $10 for their Class B license in the US Excise Tax of May 1864. (A $10 gold eagle would have today the gold value (as opposed to numismatic value) of about $900 in Federal Reserve notes).

John Townsend sold the newly rebuilt mill to E.R. Mudge, Sawyer & Co., of Boston and New York, in or before May 1864.

ORIGINAL AND SELECTED. The new woolen mill at Milton Mills, belonging to John Townsend, Esq., has been sold to a Boston company (Portland Daily Press, May 12, 1864).

John Townsend, a merchant, aged fifty-five years (b. England), headed a Brookline, MA, household at the time of the Second (1865) Massachusetts State Census. His household included his wife, Eliza Townsend, aged forty-two years (b. Milton, ME), Jane R. Townsend, aged twenty-nine years (b. Dorchester), Caroline L. Townsend, aged twenty-five years (b. Dorchester), Henry H. Townsend, a clerk, aged twenty-two years (b. Dorchester), Emma M. Townsend, aged nineteen years (b. Milton, N.H.), William B. Townsend, aged fourteen years (b. Milton, N.H.), Frank A. Townsend, aged ten years (b. Milton, N.H.), and Flora G. Townsend, aged two years (b. Milton, N.H.), and [his servant,] Mary Welsh, aged twenty years (b. Ireland).

John Townsend was a principal owner and treasurer of the Littleton Woolen Company of Littleton, NH, between 1867 and 1869.

This year also marks the beginning of a change in the life of the town [of Littleton, NH]. The woollen mill and the scythe factory were for many years the only industries that did not have their origin in the soil. In 1867 E.J.M. Hale sold the woollen mill to a corporation that had been organized under the title of The Littleton Woollen Company with a capital of $200,000. In this company Mr. Hale, John Townsend, Jordan, Marsh & Co, and the firm of Leland, Allen & Bates, were the principals. All but the first named were of Boston, and Joseph L. Whittaker was the only resident of the town who held any of the stock. John Townsend was treasurer, and Leland, Allen & Bates selling agents, while Henry H. Townsend, a son of the treasurer, became superintendent. In 1869 Jordan, Marsh & Co. purchased controlling interest and Capt. William H. Stevens became and agent (Jackson, 1905).

A post-war recession in the woolen blanket market – the Federal army no longer buying blankets in tens of thousands at inflated wartime prices – occasioned a necessary and obvious return to Littleton’s peacetime wage structure, the only alternative being a suspension of production.

LITTLETON. The workmen and women in the Littleton woolen mills have refused to work for 15 per cent reduction of their wages, and the mills are stopped until spring (St. Johnsbury Caledonian, December 13, 1867).

The Littleton Woolen Company mill was damaged by a “freshet,” i.e., rapid flooding through sudden melting of snowpack, in Spring 1869. (This sometimes take the form of a sudden and destructive rush of water released through collapse of a natural ice dam). The mill was still coping with the damage in the Fall.

HANOVER. The damages by the freshet to the Littleton Woolen Mill are nearly repaired (Vermont Journal, November 20, 1869).

John Townsend, a wool merchant, aged sixty-two years (b. England), headed a Brookline, MA, household at the time of the Ninth (1870) Federal Census. His household included Eliza A. Townsend, keeps house, aged forty-seven years (b. MA), Emma Townsend, at home, aged twenty-three years (b. NH), William B. Townsend, a dry goods store boy, aged twenty years (b. NH), Frank A. Townsend, at school, aged fourteen years (b. NH), and Flora A. Townsend, at school, aged six years (b. NH). John Townsend had real estate valued at $15,000 and personal estate valued at $100,000.

(John Townsend’s son, Henry H. Townsend, established his own woolen mill at Milton Mills, entirely separate from the prior one, in 1872).

John Townsend of Brookline, MA, donated the bell for the Milton Mills school-house (now the Milton Mills Free Public Library).

MILTON – M.V.B. Cook. During the past year an excellent wooden school-house has been erected in district No. 7 situated in the thriving village of Milton Mills. The main building is 40×40 ft., one and a half stories high, with French roof, and basement; also, tower in front, 10×12 ft. It contains two school-rooms, four ante-rooms, and a library, and is finished with western pine and black walnut. The furniture is of the latest improvements. The entire cost exceeds $6,000, besides some valuable presents, – among which was a bell, presented by Hon. John Townsend, of Brookline, Mass. The dedication consisted of music and an address by Rev. Geo. Michael (NH Board of Education, 1876).

John Townsend, a wool merchant, aged seventy-two years (b. England), headed a Brookline, MA, household at the time of the Tenth (1880) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Eliza A. Townsend, keeping house, aged fifty-seven years (b. MA), his children, Frank A. Townsend, at home, aged twenty-four years (b. NH), and Flora F. Townsend, aged sixteen years (b. NH), and his servant, Jennie Farquhar, a servant, aged twenty-five years (b. Nova Scotia). Daughter Flora G. Townsend was sick with “consumption,” i.e., tuberculosis.

John Townsend and his wife, Eliza A. Townsend, of Brookline, MA, and their son, Frank A. Townsend, also of Brookline, MA, were among the guests at the Kearsarge House hotel in North Conway, NH, in July 1884.

NEAR THE ZENITH. The Summer Season at Hillside and Seashore. … There is much that is fascinating to the lover of nature along the banks of the Saco, and year in and year out the pleasure-seeker comes here to spend the summer months. The drives about North Conway, as well as its scenery, are attractive, and of them none is more delightful than the one to Conway, going and returning by different routes. In point of numbers, North Conway is not ahead in guests of previous years, but it is having at least an average season, so far as the present month is concerned. August is always the big month of the year, when Boston comes up to have a holiday season among the White hills. The new proprietors of the Kearsarge House are building for themselves a reputation. The house is much better kept than formerly, and in time the reward for well-doing will come. Among the present guests are the following: Mrs. C.B. Sawyer. Boston; P.G. Peabody and family, New York; John Townsend and wife, Brookline; F.A. Townsend, Brookline; Mrs. S.M. Eldridge, Boston; Mrs. S.A. Caldwell. Philadelphia; Mr. and Mrs. Albert Currier, Miss S.N. Hills, Newburyport; J.F. Harvey and wife, Chelsea; J.M. Kupler, Boston; Mrs. D.N. Stanton and family, New York; C.W. Abbott, Wolfboro; Horace Hunt and family, Boston; Miss Florence Wyman, Mrs. John C. Lee, Miss Harriet Lee, Miss H. Silsbee, Miss J.P. Phillips, Miss G. Phillips, Salem; J.J. Fitzgerald, Mrs. Ally Freeman, Boston; William R. Wood and family, Portland; Rev. Melville Boyd and family, Mrs. Thomas Waller, W.R. Deming, Miss Miller, Brooklyn; Mr. and Mrs. Charles G. Coe. Mrs. J.B. Barr, New York; George T. Coolidge. Boston; Mrs. R.E. Radway and two Misses Radway, New York; Mr. and Mrs. H.L. Fearing, Newton; Charles B. Train and family, Esther R. Stratton, Boston: Dr. J.F. Frisbie and family, Newton; Judge Nathan Webb and family, Portland; Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Dodge, Boston; George E. Hughes and wife, Bath, Me. (Boston Globe, July 27, 1884).

John Townsend of Brookline, MA, woolen manufacturer, made out his last will and testament on November 1, 1890.

John Townsend died in Brookline, MA, May 21, 1891 aged eighty-three years, seven months. Eliza A. (Townsend) Townsend died in Needham, MA, September 19, 1896.

Six Bequests to Charity. DEDHAM, Jan. 27 – The will of Mrs. Eliza A. Townsend, late of Brookline, filed in the Norfolk registry this afternoon, contains the following public bequests: Free Will Baptist church of Acton, Me., $2000; the Consumptives home, Boston highlands, $1000: the home for Little Wanderers, Boston, $1000; the Old Ladies’ home in Boston, $1000, and the blind asylum in South Boston, $1000. The will was executed Aug 25, 1886, and the testatrix’s son, Frank A. Townsend, is named as its executor (Boston Globe, January 28, 1897).

Milton Mills Manufacturing Company – Mudge, Sawyer & Company – 1864-1870

It was soon after sold to Mudge, Sawyer & Co., and [later] to the Waumbeck Company, and has continued to do a very successful business (Scales, 1914).

E.R. Mudge and Joseph Sawyer formed their partnership in 1862. They were commission agents for a number of textile and yarn mills, including the Washington Mills, the Burlington Woolen Company, the Chicopee Manufacturing Company, the Ellerton New Mills, Milton Mills, and Victory Manufacturing Company. They first advertised their association with Milton Mills in April 1866.

Enoch Redington Mudge was born in Orrington, ME, March 22, 1812, son of Rev. Enoch R. and Jerusha H. (Hinckley) Mudge.

He married in Portland, ME, April 20, 1832, Caroline A. Patten. She was born in Kennebunkport, ME, August 6, 1811, daughter of John and Olive (Lassell) Patten.

Erastus [Enoch] R. Mudge, agent manager – company, aged fifty-eight years (b. ME), headed a Swampscott, MA, household at the time of the Ninth (1870) Federal Census. His household included Caroline A. [(Patten)] Mudge, aged fifty-eight years (NH), Caroline E. Mudge, aged nineteen years (MA), Henry S. Mudge, aged seventeen years (b. ME), Sarah Townsend, a seamstress, aged thirty-nine years (b. New Brunswick), Agnes Goodwin, domestic service, aged thirty-seven years (b. CA), Tessie James, domestic service, aged thirty-two years (b. LA), and Daniel Buns, a coachman, aged thirty-one years (b. Ireland). Erastus R. Mudge had real estate valued at $250,000 and personal estate valued at $400,000. Caroline A. Mudge had real estate valued at $80,000.

E. Redington Mudge died in Lynn, MA, October 1, 1881. Caroline A. (Patten) Mudge died in Swampscott, MA, January 9, 1882.

Death of Hon. E.R. Mudge. Special Despatch to The Boston Globe. Swampscott, October 1. Hon. E. Redington Mudge of Swampscott died at his home, at 11.20 a.m., from congestion of the brain. He was about 70 years of age and leaves two adult children. The deceased was born in Lynn in 1812. His father was a prominent Methodist minister of that place. During the war be was proprietor of the St. Charles Hotel in New Orleans. Subsequently he came to Boston and engaged in the dry goods trade at 15 Chauncy street, under the firm name of Mudge, Sawver & Co. He served two years in the State Senate, but aside from this was not much interested in politics. Some time ago he gave $200,000 to an Episcopal parish of Lynn for the erection of a memorial church in memory of his two deceased children, Mrs. Van Brunt and Lieutenant-Colonel C.R. Mudge, who was killed [at Gettysburg] in the war. He leaves a wife, an invalid, who some time ago had an apoplectic shock, from which she is still suffering. Mr. Mudge was a man of great wealth (Boston Globe, October 1, 1881).

Mudge’s partner was Joseph Sawyer. He was born in Boston, MA, September 22, 1823, son of William and Ellen (White) Sawyer.

He married in Boston, MA, June 10, 1847, Anne M. Dillaway, he of Chelsea, MA, and she of Boston. She was born in Boston, MA, April 3, 1823, daughter of William and Susan (Bassett) Dillaway.

In 1888, Joseph Sawyer paid $1,399 in property taxes in Boston, MA, at a rate of $13.40 per $1,000, i.e., he had property valued at $104,403. He was one of only 20,000 New Englanders that paid $100 or more (Luce, 1888).

Joseph Sawyer died in Boston, MA, May 27, 1901, aged seventy-seven years. Anne M. (Dillaway) Sawyer died in Brookline, MA, December 25, 1905.

DEATH OF JOSEPH SAWYER. One of Most Prominent Merchants of the Old School and Well-Known Philanthropist. In the death of Joseph Sawyer, Boston loses one of her most prominent merchants of the old school. philanthropy one of its most generous and deserving benefactors, and religion a most conscientious and ardent supporter. Mr. Sawyers giving was never of the obstrusive kind, and yet no worthy cause was presented to him in vain. The amount of his contributions was never heralded by himself, but those who knew him best estimate them at more than $500,000. His assistance to objects which commended themselves to his judgment was never niggardly, and he was accustomed to carefully weigh every claim presented. Particularly did he enter into the spirit of the Salvation Army work, and his voice, his presence and his purse were ever ready when needed, while the workers found a hearty welcome at his home from both Mr. and Mrs. Sawyer. In fact, no suppliant was too obscure, and no cause too humble to claim his attention and sympathy. Mr. Sawyer was a member of the Warren-av. Baptist church, a prominent supporter, and active participator in all its interests. He was also closely affiliated with various charitable organizations, and his advice was frequently sought and always welcome. In private, too, his counsel was often solicited and given, whether in business troubles, social relations or personal grievances, and in all these it was considered invaluable. Mr. Sawyer was the oldest of 11 children, and was born 77 years ago. His father was a mariner, plying his vocation between America and Liverpool, where he met and married his wife. He came of English stock, his ancestor, James Sawyer, having settled in Ipswich about 1630. Joseph received his education in the Eliot school, which he left at the age of 14 to enter the employ of Josiah Stetson on Hanover st., then the headquarters of the retail dry goods business. In 1849, Mr. Sawyer was admitted to partnership in the woolen and jobbing business of Wilkinson, Stetson & Co., from which he retired in 1862, when he became a member of the firm of E.R. Mudge, Sawyer Co., to carry on the sale of textile fabrics. This concern, with that of Wilkinson, Stetson & Co., purchased the Burlington woolen mills of Winooski. Vt., the largest in the state, and in 1869, Mr. Sawyer became treasurer, and in 1882 its president. The firm was dissolved on the death of Mr. Mudge, and Mr. Sawyer retired from active business, although he afterward assisted in the formation of the firm of Sawyer & Manning, for the purpose of placing his son, Joseph D. Sawyer, in the business in which his father had succeeded. Mr. Sawyer was married in this city in 1847 to Miss Anna Maria, daughter of William Dillaway, who survives him with three sons and two daughters. The family home was at 31 Commonwealth av. Mr. Sawyer’s health began to cause anxiety about three weeks ago, but last Friday he was able to take a walk to the Public Garden. He was confined to his room on Sunday and his health failed rapidly from that time, until death came yesterday afternoon. The funeral will be held on Thursday afternoon at 2 o’clock, at the Warren-av. Baptist church (Boston Globe, May 28, 1901).

Milton Manufacturing Company appeared in the Milton directories of 1867-68 and 1869-70. E.R. Mudge & Co. was its owner, and George H. Jones was its agent.

Mudge, Sawyer & Co.’s Boston facility was seriously damaged by an attic fire in April 1869. This circumstance might be compared with that suffered by Lewis W. Nute, and a large part of downtown Boston, in the Great Boston Fire of 1872. There too goods stored in the attics fed the fire.

DESTRUCTIVE FIRES. In this city, store No. 57 Summer Street, occupied by Mudge, Sawyer & Co., was damaged by fire in the attic some $4000 or $5000, and the goods to a larger amount (New England Farmer (Boston, MA), April 24, 1869).

George H. Jones, a farmer, aged forty-four years (b. NH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Ninth (1870) Federal Census. His household included Lucy J. Jones, keeping house, aged forty-three years (b. NH), Addie V. Jones, aged twenty-two years (b. NH), Charles A. Jones, a farm laborer, aged eighteen years (b. NH), Ira W. Jones, a farm laborer, aged sixteen years (b. NH), and Nettie J. Jones, at school, aged seven years (b. NH). George H. Jones had real estate valued at $2,000 and personal estate valued at $455. (His son, Ira W. Jones, would become Milton’s famous hydraulic engineer).

Waumbeck Company – 1870-1898

Waumbeck is said to be an Abenaki word meaning “White Rock.” It is commonly used in New England where such geographic features appear.

[Mudge, Sawyer & Co.], after occupying it for about six years, disposed of it to the Waumbeck Company, a stock corporation, of which John D. Sturtevant of Boston was the managing agent. Geo. W. Olney was the first superintendent under the Waumbeck Company, and was succeeded by Benj. J. Adams. During the management of John A. Buguey, a different concern assumed control of the mill, the Waumbeck Woolen Co. The mill was burned in 1898 (Mitchell-Cony, 1908).

Waumbeck Company manager John D. Sturtevant was born in Center Harbor, NH, July 14, 1816, son of Perez and Dorothy (Kimball) Sturtevant. He married Dorcas A. “Adaline” Bradley. They had children Franny, who married Amasa Clarke, and Ellen, who married Edward Steese.

John D. Sturtevant, a woolen manufacturer, aged fifty-three years (b. NH), headed a Brookline, MA, household at the time of the Ninth (1870) Federal Census. His household included Adeline Sturtevant, keeps house, aged fifty-one years (b. MA), Franny Sturtevant, at home, aged twenty-five years (b. MA), Edward Steese, a wool merchant, aged twenty-six years (b. OH), Ellen Steese, at home, aged twenty-three years (b. NH), Edwin S. Steese, at home, aged one year (b. OH), Mary Moran, a domestic servant, aged thirty-five years (b. Ireland), Michael Moran, a laborer, aged thirty-two years (b. Ireland), Patrick Welch, a coachman, aged twenty-four years (b. Ireland), Mary McSweeney, a domestic servant, aged twenty years (b. Ireland), and Lydia Archer, a nurse, aged thirty-three years (b. OH). John D. Sturtevant had real estate valued at $20,000 and personal estate valued at $200,000.

In 1888, J.D. Sturtevant paid $2,955 in property taxes in Brookline, MA, at a rate of $10.50 per $1,000, i.e., he had property valued at $281,429. He was one of only 20,000 New Englanders that paid $100 or more (Luce, 1888).

John D. Sturtevant died in Brookline, MA, July 5, 1889. Dorcas A. “Adeline” (Bradley) Sturtevant died December 20, 1892.

OBITUARY. JOHN D. STURTEVANT. Boston, July 5 (Special). – John D. Sturtevant, a well known woollen manufacturer, died at his home in Brookline to-day. He was born at Centre Harbor, N.H., on July 4, 1814 [SIC]. For forty years he was engaged in the manufacture of woollens. He owned mills at Rochester and Milton, N.H., and Winthrop, Me., and was interested in a mill at Norwich, Conn. (New York Tribune, July 6, 1889).

Superintendent George Wilson Olney was born in Louisville, KY, August 27, 1840, son of Wilson and Eliza (Butler) Olney.

He married in Oxford, MA, November 17, 1862, Waity M. Harwood. She was born in Oxford, MA, April 24, 1839, daughter of Elihu and Hannah (Beals) Harwood.

George W. Olney, agent for woolen mill, aged twenty-nine years (b. KY), headed a Milton household at the time of the Ninth (1870) Federal Census. His household included Waity M. Olney, keeping house, aged thirty-one years (b. MA), Thomas W. Olney, at school, aged six years (b. MA), Robert S. Olney, aged one year (b. NH), Frederick A. Olney, clerk in woolen mill, aged twenty-two years (b. MA), and Ellen Conley, a domestic servant, aged fifteen years (b. NH). George W. Olney had personal estate valued at $700. The census enumerator recorded his household between those of Patrick English, weaving room superintendent, aged forty-nine years (b. Ireland), and John U. Simes, a retail grocer, aged thirty-four years (b. NH).

The Waumbeck Manufacturing Company appeared in the Milton directories of 1871, and 1873, as Milton Mills manufacturers of flannel. It cut wages in response to reduced sales during the financial and economic Panic of 1873.

INDUSTRIAL NOTES. The operatives employed by the Waumbeck Manufacturing Company at Milton Mills, N.H., have been notified that on and after Nov. 15th their wages will be reduced 15 per cent (Portland Daily Press, November 11, 1873).

Labor Notes. The Waumbeck Manufacturing Company, at Milton Mills, N.H., has reduced the wages of its operatives 15 per cent (New York Herald, November 28, 1873).

The newspapers were full of accounts of firms that laid off most of their staff or simply shut down altogether. The Waumbeck Company survived and had recovered to the extent that it was able to pay its shareholders their dividend in December 1874 (Boston Globe, December 29, 1874).

George W. Olney died in Leicester, MA, February 28, 1894. Waity M. (Harwood) Olney died in Providence, RI, July 1, 1916.

Death of George Olney. WORCESTER, Mass., March 1. George W. Olney, a brother of Attorney General Olney, a well-known woolen manufacturer, died at Cherry Valley last night of rheumatic fever. He was born at Louisville 53 years ago, but his parents moved to this state when he was two years old. He spent his business career in the woolen industry (Berkshire Eagle, March 1, 1894).

Olney’s successor, Benjamin G. Adams, was said to have been Waumbeck Manufacturing Co. superintendent for seventeen years. His tenure likely ran from about 1874 through 1890.

Benjamin G. Adams was born in Barnstead, NH, May 27, 1823, son of James and Elizabeth (Bellamy) Adams.

He married in Farmington, NH, April 4, 1846, Sophia Nutter. She was born in Farmington, NH, in May 1827, daughter of John H. and Hannah (Hall) Nutter.

The Waumbec Company bought a whole carload, i.e., a train carload, of industrial soap from a soap salesman in or around 1877.

The Waumbeck Manuf’g Company appeared in the Milton directories of 1874, 1875, 1876, and 1877, as Milton Mills manufacturers of flannel.

Another Trade Sale of Blankets and Robes. Special Despatch to The Boston Globe. New York, July 23. A great sale of 6000 cases blankets. carriage robes, lap robes and horse blankets took place today. The entire production belonged to the Clinton Mills Company, the Norwich Woollen Company, the Waumbeck Company, Winthrop Mills Company and Norway Plains Company, and included all sizes and qualities. At least 600 persons were present, representing some of the largest dry-goods houses throughout the country. The sale was peremptory, on a credit of four months (Boston Globe, July 23, 1878).

FIRE RECORD. Dover, N.H., Aug. 8. – The Waumbeck Company’s mills at Milton Mills, N.H., caught fire yesterday in the picker room, but through the prompt use of the hose connected with the mills the fire was confined to the picker house. The damage was slight by the fire, but considerable by the water (Boston Post, August 9, 1878).

The Waumbeck Manuf’g Company appeared in the Milton directories of 1880, 1881, 1882, 1884, 1887, [and 1889], as Milton Mills manufacturers of flannel.

Benjamin G. Adams, superintendent of the woolen mill, aged fifty-seven years (b. NH), headed a Milton (“Milton Mills Village”) household at the time of the Tenth (1880) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Sophia Adams, keeping house, aged fifty-three years (b. NH), and his son, Frank H. Adams, works in woolen mill, aged twenty-seven years (b. NH).

NEW ADVERTISEMENTS. 10-4 white Waumbeck blankets, $2.75; 10-4 gray blankets, $2, at Wilcox Bros’ (The Pantagraph (Bloomington, IL), November 10, 1883).

The Waumbeck Company appeared several times in the U.S. Census’ water power report of 1885.

Benjamin G. Adams died in Amesbury, MA, January 31, 1905. Sophia (Nutter) Adams died in Lawrence, MA, September 25, 1908.

Obituary. Amesbury, Mass. Benj. G. Adams, a retired woolen manufacturer, died Tuesday, Jan. 31, aged 82 years. Deceased was boss weaver in the Pemberton Mills, Lawrence, 45 years ago, when many employes were buried in the ruins. Mr. Adams was an expert designer. The last 20 years of his active life he was agent of the Waumbeck Woolen Co., Milton, N.H. (Fibre & Fabric, 1905).

Waumbeck Company manager John D. Sturtevant died in 1889 and was succeeded by his son-in-law, Amasa Clarke (1844-1907). The Waumbeck Company appeared in the Milton business directory of 1892, as a manufacturer of woolen goods. Amasa Clarke, was its agent.

John Andrew Buguey was mill superintendent after Benjamin G. Adams. He was born in Leicester, MA, August 29, 1844, son of James and Winifred Buguey.

Mr. George Kavanagh was in [Concord] town Sunday as the guest of John A. Buguey (Concord Enterprise (Concord, MA), March 22, 1889).

The Waumbeck Company joined 916 other corporate woolen concerns in petitioning the US Senate in April 1892. Their petition sought continuance of McKinley’s woolen duties, i.e., tariffs, on foreign wool imports. (They had been in place since 1878). The Waumbeck company (J.A. Bugney, Supt.) appeared in the list of petitioners as having 10 sets of cards, i.e., 10 carding machines.

The following advertisements for cloth workers appeared in the Boston Globe near the end of 1892 (and beginning of 1893).

MALE HELP WANTED. A RELIABLE MAN who thoroughly understands the business of piece dyeing to dye dress goods, flannels, etc. A man of this stamp may address JOHN A. BUGUEY, Milton Mills, N.H. (Boston Globe, November 27, 1892).

MALE HELP WANTED. WANTED. A good experienced man to run a Parks & Woolson six-quarter shear. Write at once or come to JOHN A. BUGUEY, Milton Mills, N.H. (Boston Globe, November 29, 1892). 

MALE HELP WANTED. WANTED. Boss weaver on Davis & Furber looms, must be a good manager of help, competent, steady and reliable. Man with family preferred. Address JOHN A. BUGNEY, supt., Milton Mills, N.H. (January 26, 1893).

The Waumbeck Company mill suspended production for six months during the Panic of 1893. (See also Milton in the News – 1893).

A Three Months’ Vacation. MILTON MILLS, N.H., July 21. – The agent of the Waumbeck company has issued orders for closing the mills here for three months as soon as the goods now in process of manufacture are finished. The reason assigned for this action is a lack of orders except at ruinous prices. This is the first time in the history of this company that work has been ordered to cease on account of the conditions of the market (Fall River Daily Evening News, July 21, 1893).

The Waumbeck Manuf’g Company appeared in the Milton directories of 1894, and 1898, as manufacturers of flannels.

Senator William E. Chandler (R-NH) presented to the US Senate a remonstrance from the Waumbeck Company employees in 1894. They opposed the Wilson-Gorman Tariff Act. It “reformed” the tariff system by reducing tariffs, but also added the first peacetime national income tax. It passed, but the income tax was struck down as unconstitutional in 1895.

Mr. CHANDLER presented the memorial of John A. Buguey and 42 other employes of the Waumbek Co[mpan]y, [M]ilton Mills, New Hampshire, remonstrating against the passage of the so-called Wilson tariff bill; which was referred to the Committee on Finance (US Senate, 1894).

It took passage of the Sixteenth Amendment in 1911 to saddle us with a national income tax. New Hampshire opposed passage of that amendment. (See Milton and the Income Tax – 1911).

Mary E. (Keating) Buguey died in Milton Mills, NH, April 22, 1896. John A. Buguey appeared in the Concord directory of that year, as foreman of Damon’s mill, with his house on Main street, in Westvale. He and his children resided in Concord, MA, in 1900, where he was a weaving instructor at the Massachusetts State Prison there. He married (2nd) in Concord, MA, September 8, 1913, Elinor Cummiskey. John A. Buguey died in Acton, MA, June 11, 1921.

DEATHS. BUTNEY – In Acton, Mass., June 11, John A. Butney. Funeral from his late residence, Fletchers Corners, South Acton, Monday, June 13, at 7:45. Solemn high mass at St. Bridget’s Church. Maynard, Mass., at 8 p. m. (Boston Post, June 12, 1921).

Waumbeck Woolen Company – 1898-04

A newly-formed Waumbeck Woolen Company sought to revive the Waumbeck Manufacturing Company’s moribund mill operation in July 1898. Its agent was M.F.S. Whipple, who was also its treasurer. (He was a partner in Whipple & Pratt).

Merritt F.S. Whipple was born in Burrillville, RI, April 2, 1845, son of Sterry and Maria H. (Warner) Whipple.

He married in Pawtucket, RI, in 1867, Evaline J. Larkin. She was born in Cranston, RI, in December 1847, daughter of Samuel A. and Sarah W. (Collins) Larkin.

NEWS IN BRIEF. Owing to the depression in the woollen business the woollen mill operated at Greenville, R.I., by Merritt F. Whipple, will run out [of] stock and stop until business revives (Boston Post, March 15, 1876).

WOOLEN MILL BURNED. Loss $75,000. Providence, April 14 – The mill of the Greenville Woolen Co. in Smithfield was burned last night, with the boiler house and a five tenement block. A large boarding house was on fire and partially destroyed. Loss $75,000. The buildings and machinery were owned by the wife of M.F. Whipple. Insured for $46,250. The stock and supplies were owned by the Greenville Woolen Co. and were insured for $16,085 (Fall River Daily Evening News, April 14, 1882).

TESTIMONIALS. From a Well-known Woollen Manufacturer. Greenville, R.I., Aug. 10, 1883. Dear Sirs, I wish to inform my friends and the public that for many years I have been a great sufferer from sick headache, and have tried almost every remedy, but could find no relief until your “BlLIOUSINE” was recommended to me. After taking a few doses of your powder I was greatly relieved. I have now taken the medicine about a month, and pronounce myself cured. I cheerfully recommend every one who is troubled with sick headache to give it a fair trial. Yours respectfully, M.F. WHIPPLE (Boston Globe, March 1, 1884).

Biliousine was manufactured in Providence, RI. Similar “specific” medicines for these symptoms contained super-carbonate of soda [baking soda], charcoal, paregoric and water.

During the management of John A. Buguey, a different concern assumed control of the mill, the Waumbeck Woolen Co. The mill was burned in 1898 (Mitchell-Cony, 1908)

MARKET AND FINANCIAL NOTES. Milton Mills, N.H. The Waumbeck Woolen Co has been incorporated with capital of $60,000 (Fibre & Fabric, 1898).

JULY 1898. Waumbeck Mills, Milton Mills, N.H. Woolens; new company organized; capital, $60,000; M.F. Whipple treasurer and manager (National Association, 1898).

The Waumbeck Woolen Co. mill burned to the ground on Sunday morning September 11, 1898, before it could be reopened. (See also Milton in the News – 1898).

BAD FIRE AT MILTON MILLS. Waumbeck Woolen Mills Burned to the Ground Sunday Morning. The entire plant of the Waumbeck woolen mills at Milton Mills was completely destroyed by fire early Sunday morning with a loss of nearly $100,000. The mills have been idle since 1890, but arrangements were recently completed for resuming work, and they were to start up again Monday of this week, giving employment to 390 hands. While the origin of the fire is unknown, it is supposed to have been caused by spontaneous combustion in the picker room. Agent M.F.S. Whipple of the mills stated that the company had $70,000 insurance on the property. The fire could be seen from Farmington and caused a bright reflection on the sky for miles around. It is not thought that the mill will be rebuilt. The fire was discovered by the night watchman, Charles Williams, about 2:15 a.m. and he at once gave an alarm. He then attempted to return to the engine room and start the fire pump, but the heat had become so intense that he was unable to do so. The village fire department responded promptly and did everything in their power to save the structure, and by energetic effort did succeed in keeping the flames away from the office. The factory was a three-story structure with basement, 150 feet long and 50 feet wide. This was the chief industry of the town, and the loss is a disastrous blow (Farmington News, September 16, 1898).

Merritt F. Whipple, a woolen manufacturer, aged fifty-five years (b. RI), headed a Providence, RI, household at the time of the Twelfth (1900) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of thirty-three years), Evaline [J. (Larkin)] Whipple, aged fifty-two years (b. RI), and his children, Harry C. Whipple, aged twenty-six years (b. RI), and Bessie M. Whipple, at school, aged sixteen years (b. RI). Merritt F. Whipple rented their portion of a two-family household at 28 Oak Street. Evaline Whipple was the mother of four children, of whom four were still living.

Henry H. Townsend bought the Waumbeck mill land in 1900. The Waumbeck Company appeared in the U.S. Geological Survey’s water power report of 1901. The Waumbeck Company was dissolved officially on January 27, 1904.

Merritt F. Whipple died in Providence, RI, November 8, 1912, aged sixty-seven years. Evaline J. (Larkin) Whipple died July 1, 1924.

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As a sort of epilogue, three former Milton residents, two of them sons of Waumbeck mill superintendents, ran for high office in Massachusetts in 1903. Two of them ran as the Socialist candidates for governor and lieutenant governor, and one as the Democrat candidate for lieutenant governor.

LOCAL. The Milton Mills correspondent for the Rochester Courier says: Among the candidates for the gubernatorial honors in Massachusetts this fall are several who in times past have been well known in our village. On the Socialist ticket, John Chase, candidate for governor, was well known as a barefoot little urchin when his mother resided here. John Q. Adams, candidate for lieutenant governor on the same ticket, is a son of Benj. F. Adams, for seventeen years agent of the Waumbeck Co. here, and Richard Olney, 2d, Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, is a son of George Olney, who was agent of the Waumbeck mills before Mr. Adams. Though neither of these may reach the prize they are striving for, we are glad to know that out boys are ambitious (Farmington News, October 16, 1903).

At this point, the two young Socialists might be excused to some extent. The Bolshevik revolution lay still fourteen years in the future. Austrian economist Ludwig von Mises had not yet proved Socialism to be both logically and economically impossible, as he would in 1919. And, of course, Socialism’s hundreds of millions of deaths lay also in the future. For those that cling still to its blood-stained notions in the present day, ignorance may be an explanation but is not an excuse.

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See also Milton Mills’ Brierley Mill – c1864-18 and Milton Mills’ Miltonia Mill – 1872-14

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References:

Fibre & Fabric. (1898, June 18). Fibre & Fabric. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=6QwAAAAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PA210

Fibre & Fabric. (1905, February 11). Fibre & Fabric. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=RBYAAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA14

Find a Grave. (2013, February 25). Benjamin Gilman Adams. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/105828849

Find a Grave. (2016, February 21). John Andrew Buguey. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/158425960/john-andrew-buguey

Find a Grave. (2013, July 29). Gilman Jewett. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/114597023

Find a Grave. (2007, November 24). Enoch Redington Mudge. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/23074952/enoch-redington-mudge

Find a Grave. (2014, September 8). George Wilson Olney. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/135623720

Find a Grave. (2012, August 15). Joseph Sawyer. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/95382257/joseph-sawyer

Find a Grave. (2011, October 5). John D. Sturtevant. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/77706467/john-d-sturtevant

Find a Grave. (2013, August 12). Henry H. Townsend. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/115352239

Find a Grave. (2016, February 21). Merritt F. Whipple. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/32868252

Hayward, Silvanus. (1881). History of the Town of Gilsum, New Hampshire: From 1752 to 1879. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=VWgjAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA139

Jackson, James R. (1905). History of Littleton: Topical History. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=XlygsD5BizYC&pg=PR13

MA Supreme Judicial Court. (1893). Massachusetts Reports: Cases Argued and Determined in the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=tRAQAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA454

National Association of Wool Manufacturers. (1898). Bulletin of the National Association of Wool Manufacturers. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=uIZAAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA419

NH State Board of Education. (1876). Biennial Report of the New Hampshire State Board of Education. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=4fxIAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA338

Wikipedia. (2018, August 17). Kearsarge House. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kearsarge_House

Wikipedia. (2020, May 3). Pemberton Mill. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pemberton_Mill

Wikipedia. (2020, February 11). William E. Chandler. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_E._Chandler

Wikipedia. (2020, April 25). Wilson-Gorman Tariff Act. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilson%E2%80%93Gorman_Tariff_Act

By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | July 9, 2020

Here follows a transcription (with annotations) of the last will and testament of Milton Mills woolen manufacturer John Townsend.

John Townsend was born in Wilton, Wiltshire, England, October 22, 1807, son of Joseph and Sarah “Sally” (Palmer) Townsend, and was baptized there January 8, 1808. He died in Brookline, MA, May 21, 1891, and this last will, which was dated November 1, 1890, was proved in Norfolk County Probate Court, in Dedham, MA, May 27, 1891 (Norfolk County Probate, 167:54).

Townsend was twice married. He married (1st) in Dorchester (Boston), MA, January 14, 1834, Jane Matilda Townsend, both of Dorchester, MA. She was born in Wilton, Wiltshire, England, September 18, 1815, daughter of Thomas B. and Jane (Randall) Townsend. Their children were Jane Randall “Jennie” Townsend (1835-1869), Caroline Frances Townsend (1840-1897), and Henry Herbert Townsend (1842-1904). Jane M. (Townsend) Townsend died in Dorchester, MA, December 24, 1843.

He married (2nd) in Boston, MA, April 22, 1844, Eliza Ann Townsend. She was born in Milton, MA, April 8, 1823, daughter of Thomas B. and Jane (Randall) Townsend, i.e., she was a younger sister of his deceased first wife. Their children were Emma M. Townsend (1848-1875), William B. Townsend [II] (1850-1878), Frank Albert Townsend (1855-1913), and Flora G. Townsend (b. 1863). Eliza A. (Townsend) Townsend survived him and died in Needham, MA, September 19, 1896.

Townsend started his Milton Mills woolen mill in or around 1846. He and his second wife, Eliza, and the children of both marriages resided in Milton Mills from then until the early to mid 1860s. (His eldest son, Henry H. Townsend, would run the rebuilt mill there in later years).

GREAT FALLS, N.H., Saturday, Oct. 19. The flannel factory of JOHN TOWNSEND, at Milton Mills, N.H., was burnt this evening. Loss about $30,000, which is partially insured. The factory was running on a Government contract (NY Times, October 20, 1861).

John Townsend, a merchant, aged fifty-five years (birthplace omitted), headed a Brookline, MA, household at the time of the Second (1865) MA Census. His household included his wife, Eliza Townsend, aged forty-two years (b. Milton, ME [SIC], Jane R. Townsend, aged twenty-nine years (b. Dorchester), Caroline F. Townsend, aged twenty-five years (b. Dorchester), Henry H. Townsend, a clerk, aged twenty-two years (b. Dorchester), Emma M. Townsend, aged nineteen years (b. Milton, NH), William B. Townsend, aged fourteen years (b. Milton, NH), Frank A. Townsend, aged ten years (b. Milton, NH), Flora G. Townsend, aged two years (b. Milton, NH), and Mary Welsh, aged twenty years (b. Ireland). John Townsend and Henry H. Townsend were ratable polls and legal voters.

Will of the Late John Townsend Filed. DEDHAM, May 27. This afternoon the will of John Townsend, late of Brookline, the deceased woollen manufacturer, was filed for probate in the Norfolk registry at Dedham. He left about $400,000, of which amount all but $700 is bequeathed to his family and other relatives. The instrument was drawn November 1, 1890, and his sons, Henry H. and Frank A. Townsend, are named as his executors and trustees (Boston Globe, May 27, 1891).

Note that $400,000 in 1891 would be worth about $36,000,000 today. (Each $20 might be taken as a one-ounce gold “double eagle” coin, and that one ounce of gold is worth about $1,800 in Federal Reserve notes at their present value).

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John Townsend – Will – Proved May 27, 1891

I, John Townsend of the Town of Brookline, County of Norfolk and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Woolen Manufacturer, make this my last will and testament hereby revoking all other wills.

Item 1st. I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Eliza Ann Townsend sixty thousand dollars to be held in trust and five thousand dollars in cash and all the furniture and horse or horses, harnesses, carriages, and sleighs at her disposal to sell or otherwise as she may think best, and for her benefit the income or interest on her bequest of sixty thousand dollars may be paid at any time she may desire provided the trustee or trustees have cash on hand received by them for or on account of income or interest on their investments.

Eliza A. (Townsend) Townsend died in Needham, MA, September 19, 1896. (Her son, Frank A. Townsend, lived then in Needham).

Item 2nd. I give and bequeath to my son Frank Albert Townsend one hundred thousand dollars in cash, and all my office furniture excepting the small desk, and I trust he will make good use of the above as his father has done before him. I also give him five thousand dollars in cash extra to be paid him for his services rendered me.

Frank Albert Townsend was born in Milton Mills, NH, July 5, 1855, son of John and Eliza A. (Townsend) Townsend. He died at his home at 371 Walnut Street, Brookline, MA, July 29, 1913, aged fifty-eight years, twenty-four days. (He was buried in Forest Hills Cemetery, in Jamaica Plain, Boston, MA).

Frank A. Townsend, own income, aged fifty-eight [fifty-five] years (b. MA), headed a Needham, MA, household at the time of the Thirteenth (1910) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of six years), Anna L. Townsend, aged sixty years (b. NH), and his servants, Rose G. Lufkin, a private family waitress, aged thirty-four years (b. MA), and Bessie G. McGlone, a private family cook, aged thirty-five years (b. Ireland (English)).

Item 3rd. I give and bequeath to my son Henry Herbert Townsend one hundred thousand dollars in cash, also my small desk in the counting room, if the said Henry Herbert Townsend owes my Estate either by note or on account it is to be deducted from his cash amount.

Henry Herbert Townsend was born in Dorchester, MA, August 12, 1842, son of John and Jane M. “Matilda” (Townsend) Townsend. He died in Milton Mills, June 25, 1904, aged sixty-one years, ten months, and thirteen days.

Henry H. Townsend married in Milton, June 7, 1870, Agnes J. Brierley, he of Boston and she of Milton, NH. She was born in Lowell, MA, May 17, 1844, daughter of Edward and Margaret M. (Thompson) Brierley. (See also Milton Mills’ Brierley Mill – c1864-18). He was a merchant, aged twenty-seven years; she was aged twenty-six years. Rev. N.D. Adams of Union, NH, performed the ceremony. (This record appeared also in Boston vital records).

Item 4th. I give and bequeath to my beloved daughter Caroline Frances Townsend forty five thousand dollars to be held in trust, the interest or income to be paid to her semiannually. I also give and bequeath to the aforementioned Caroline Frances Townsend in cash one thousand dollars, and at her decease the amount held by the trustee or trustees shall be paid one half to Henry Herbert Townsend and the other half to Frank Albert Townsend of their heirs.

Caroline Frances Townsend was born in Dorchester, MA, May 2, 1840, daughter of John Townsend and his first wife, Jane Matilda (Townsend) Townsend.

Caroline F. Townsend of Milton Mills appeared in a list of first and second year women taking the English course of studies at the New Hampton Literary & Biblical Institution, in New Hampton, NH, during the 1856-57, when she was called “Carrie F.,” 1857-58, 1858-59 academic years. She majored in Modern Languages. Her elder sister, Jennie R. Townsend, was a student there also during the 1856-57 academic year.

Caroline F. Townsend boarded for many years with another legatee, Mary W. Robinson of Dorchester.

Caroline F. Townsend married in the Bromfield Street Methodist Church in Boston, MA, June 27, 1894, John W. Wellman, she of Dorchester, MA, and he of Wakefield, MA. He was a cotton broker, aged seventy-four years (b. Farmington, ME), and she was at home, aged fifty-four years (b. Boston); it was his third marriage and her first.

Caroline F. (Townsend) Wellman died in Wakefield, MA, December 26, 1897, aged fifty-seven years, seven months, and twenty-four days. Her husband died in Wakefield, MA, January 30, 1900, aged eighty-one years.

Item 5th. I give and bequeath to my grandchild John Townsend son of Henry Herbert and Agnes Townsend five thousand dollars to be held in trust and Gracy Townsend daughter of Henry Herbert and Agnes Townsend two thousand dollars to be held in trust until they arrive at the age of twenty-one years when there shall be paid to them the forenamed legacies and accrued income thereon.

John E. Townsend was born in Milton Mills, September 9, 1872, son of Henry H. and Agnes J. (Brierley) Townsend. He died in Milton Mills, September 8, 1914, aged forty-two years, eleven months, and thirty days. He married in Milton, January 28, 1896, Eda B. Lowd.

His sister, Grace Maud “Gracie” Townsend, was born in Milton Mills, November 14, 1873. She died September 7, 1953. She married in Milton Mills, June 19, 1896, John C. Townsend, she of Milton, and he of Saugus, MA. He was a clerk, aged twenty-four years, and she was aged twenty-two years. He was born in East Wilton, ME, September 17, 1871, son of Joseph and Ruth P. (Wentworth) Townsend. He died in Milton Mills, February 14, 1916.

Item 6th. I give and bequeath to my brother James Townsend two thousand dollars to be held in trust, also to my sister Eliza, also Charles Townsend son of my brother Thomas, one thousand dollars each, also to Ruth widow of Joseph Townsend two thousand dollars, all of the above mentioned to be held in trust.

James Townsend was born in Wilton, Wiltshire, England, June 2, 1802, son of Joseph and Sarah “Sally” (Palmer) Townsend. He married in Dorchester, MA, June 12, 1826, Sarah Kilham. He died in Marlborough, NH, August 6, 1892, aged ninety years, one month, and twenty-eight days.

Eliza J. Townsend was born in Wilton, Wiltshire, England, February 2, 1814, daughter of Joseph and Sarah “Sally” (Palmer) Townsend. She died in Saugus, MA, January 22, 1894, aged seventy-nine years, eleven months, and twenty days.

Charles Thomas “Thomas” Townsend was born in Wilton, Wiltshire, England, January 17, 1810, son of Joseph and Sarah “Sally” (Palmer) Townsend. Charles Thomas Townsend was “now residing at Milton Mills,” NH, when he made his will on May 20, 1879. Charles T. Townsend of Peterborough, NH, died on Walnut Street in Brookline, MA, January 27, 1881, aged seventy-two years, one month. (John Townsend had his home at 371 Walnut Street in Brookline).

He married in Gilsum, NH, in 1837, Elsea M. Bingham. They had children Ellen A. Townsend (1838-1908), Elsea R. Townsend (1839-1932), the legatee Charles Horace Townsend (1842-1899), Edward P. Townsend (1846-1879), Adelaide M. Townsend (1848-1935), and Alfred B. Townsend (1853-1879).

Joseph Townsend was born in England, in 1823. He died in 1887. He married in Milton, January 6, 1850, Ruth Paul Wentworth, he of Milton and she of Acton, ME. She was born in 1826. She died in 1901.

Item 7th. I give and bequeath to Martha Townsend widow of William B. Townsend two thousand dollars to be held in trust and in case of the decease of the parties named in Items 6 + 7 or either of them then their proportions shall be equally distributed between the families of John and Matilda and John and Eliza Ann Townsend.

William B. Townsend was born in Wilton, Wiltshire, England, October 21, 1803, son of Joseph and Sarah “Sally” (Palmer) Townsend. He died in Milton Mills village, November 23, 1847, aged forty-four years.

William B. Townsend married in Canton, MA, December 13, 1832, Martha W. (Holden) Townsend, both of Canton. She was born in Boston, MA, circa 1808, daughter of Stephen and Martha (Niles) Holden. They had children Mary E. Townsend (1833-1906), Anna A. Townsend (1836-1861), Harriet Townsend (1840-), and William E. Townsend (1844-). Martha W. (Holden) Townsend died in Worcester, MA, February 5, 1896, aged eighty-eight years, five months, and nineteen days.

Item 8th. I give and bequeath to Agnes wife of Henry H. Townsend three thousand dollars to be held in trust the income or interest to be paid to her semiannually and at her decease the amount held by the trustee shall be paid to her husband Henry H, the trust ceasing at her death.

Agnes J. (Brierley) Townsend did not long survive the testator. She died December 26, 1891, aged forty-seven years.

Item 9th. I give and bequeath to my brother-in-law Joseph Whitehead one thousand dollars in cash.

Joseph Whitehead was born in Yorkshire, England, May 20, 1823. He died in the Masonic Home in Charlton, MA, November 17, 1912, aged eighty-nine years, five months, and twenty-seven years.

Joseph Whitehead married in Saugus, MA, November 18, 1849, Sarah M. Townsend, both of Saugus. (He was of Milton, NH, in the marriage intentions). He was a spinner, aged twenty-four years (b. England), and she was aged twenty-five years. She was born in England, circa 1821, daughter of Joseph and Sarah “Sally” (Palmer) Whitehead. She died of consumption in Saugus, MA, February 28, 1869, aged forty-eight years, six months.

Joseph Whitehead, a trader, aged thirty-seven years (b. England), headed a Saugus, MA, household at the time of the Eighth (1860) Federal Census. His household included Sarah Whitehead, aged thirty-nine years (b. England), Ralph S. Whitehead, aged three years (b. MA), Ann Townsend, aged forty-eight years (b. England), Eliza Townsend, aged forty-six years (b. England), and Elizabeth Townsend, aged forty-four years (b. England). Joseph Whitehead had real estate valued at $2,200 and personal estate valued at $1,800.

Item 10th. I give and bequeath to my friend Aaron S. McIntosh five hundred dollars in cash.

Aaron S. McIntosh was born in Needham, MA, August 22, 1819, son of Samuel and Priscilla (Smith) McIntosh. He died in Boston, MA, November 4, 1895, aged seventy-six years.

Aaron S. McIntosh appeared in the Boston directory of 1885, as a bookkeeper at 25 Tremont Temple, with his house at 2859 Washington street.

Item 11th. I give and bequeath to my faithful employee John Young two hundred dollars in cash provided he is in my employ at my decease.

John W. Young was born in Barrington, NH, April 8, 1851, son of John B. and Mary J. (Buzzell) Young. He died in Brookline, MA, January 21, 1901, aged fifty-one years.

John W. Young appeared in the Brookline directory of 1891, as a coachman for John Townsend, at Walnut street, with his house on Sewall street, corner of Chestnut street.

Item 12th. I give + bequeath to my kind friend Miss Mary W. Robinson of Dorchester in consideration of her great kindness to my daughter Caroline Frances the sum of five hundred dollars in cash.

Mary Withington Robinson was born in Dorchester, MA, April 30, 1819, daughter of Stephen and Hannah (Withington) Robinson. She died in her home at 33 Brent Street, Boston, MA, September 16, 1905, aged eighty-six years, four months, and sixteen days.

Mary W. Robinson, keeping house, aged sixty-one years (b. MA), headed a Boston, MA, household at the time of the Tenth (1880) Federal Census. Her household included her boarder, Caroline F. Townsend, aged forty years (b. MA). They resided on Washington Street.

Miss Mary W. Robinson of Dorchester, MA, was a vice-president of the New England Wheaton Seminary Club in May 1891 (Boston Globe, May 10, 1891).

Mary W. Robinson appeared in the Boston directory of 1893 as having her house at 33 Brent street. Caroline F. Townsend appeared as boarding with her. The property was described when sold by Robinson’s estate as being a frame house, with 5,186 square feet of land, situated between Talbot avenue and Washington street in Dorchester (Boston Globe, April 17, 1908).

I also direct that after all my just debts and expenses and all the hereinbefore mentioned legacies have been fully paid the remainder of my estate if any shall be equally divided between the families of John and Matilda and John and Eliza Ann Townsend.

I appoint as my Executors and Trustees of this my last will and testament my sons Henry Herbert and Frank Albert Townsend without giving surety or sureties on their official bonds as Executors or Trustees.

In witness whereof I have signed + sealed this instrument and published and declared the same as + for my last will and testament at Boston in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts this first day of November in the year A.D. one thousand eight hundred and ninety.

John Townsend (Seal)

The said John Townsend at Boston, on the first day of November signed and sealed this instrument and published and declared the same as and for his last will and testament and we at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other have written our names as subscribing witnesses. John G. Wetherell. Chas L. Lane. W.W. Martin.

Witness John G. Wetherell (1822-1897) was president and a director of the Atlas National Bank of Boston. Charles L. Lane (1828-1891) was an Atlas National Bank cashier. (He did not long survive the testator). William W. Martin (1854-1908) was an Atlas National Bank clerk and messenger.

References:

Find a Grave. (2015, December 23). Aaron S. McIntosh. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/156311366/aaron-s_-mcintosh

Find a Grave. (2010, June 5). Mary W. Robinson. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/53292471/mary-w-robinson

Find a Grave. (2013, August 12). Agnes J. Brierley Townsend. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/115352199/agnes-j-townsend

Find a Grave. (2014, July 25). Charles Thomas Townsend. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/133322411

Find a Grave. (2013, August 12). Henry H. Townsend. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/115352239/henry-h-townsend

Find a Grave. (2007, October 23). James Townsend. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/22412532

Find a Grave. (2018, February 16). Jane Matilda Townsend. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/187367942/jane-matilda-townsend

Find a Grave. (2018, February 16). Jane Randall Townsend. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/187367952/jane-townsend

Find a Grave. (2013, August 12). Joseph Townsend. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/115343080/joseph-townsend

Find a Grave. (2013, August 12). Ruth W. Townsend. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/115343108/ruth-w-townsend

Find a Grave. (2018, February 16). Thomas B. Townsend. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/187367919/thomas-b-townsend

Find a Grave. (2015, January 28). William B. Townsend. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/141904441

Find a Grave. (2016, April 10). John W. Young. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/160833788/john-w-young

Wikipedia. (2020, March 28). Wilton, Wiltshire. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilton,_Wiltshire

By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | June 28, 2020

A southern newspaper, published just days before the second Battle of Bull Run (Manassas), took notice of an accident involving a Federal troop transport. Among the victims were the wives of several officers of the Sixth NH Regiment.

LATER FROM THE NORTH. Northern papers of the 16th instant have been received in Richmond. On the night of the 13th inst. the steamer West Point, with 197 convalescent troops from Newport News, for Burnside’s army, was run into at Aqula Creek by the steamer George Peabody. Capt. Travers. and sunk in a few minutes. Seventy-three lives were lost, including the wives of Major Dort, Lieut. Col. Scott, and Capt. Cummings, of the 6th N.H. regiment (Weekly Raleigh Register (Raleigh, NC), August 27, 1862).

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Previous in sequence: Milton in the News – 1861; next in sequence: Milton in the News – 1863

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By Muriel Bristol | June 14, 2020

Lewis Worster Nute was born in Milton, February 17, 1820, son of Ezekiel and Dorcas (Worster) Nute. (The Worcester surname is sometimes rendered as Worster or Wooster).

Mr. Nute was born in Milton Feb. 17, 1820. He was son of Ezekiel and Dorcas (Worster) Nute, natives of Milton, and grandson of Samuel Nute, a native of Back River, Dover, who settled in what is now Milton, soon after the close of the Revolution. His ancestors were among the early settlers in Dover. Ezekiel Nute was a good farmer and for many years a deacon in the Congregational Church at Milton. His wife was one of the best of women. They had four sons, the second of whom was named Lewis Worster (Scales, 1914).

Lewis Worster Nute was a namesake for his maternal uncle, Lewis Worster, who was born in Milton, NH, April 4, 1815, but died there as an infant, December 18, 1815. Another maternal uncle, Isaac Worster, Jr., was an early and ardent Milton abolitionist. His maternal grandfather, Isaac Worster, was a proprietor of the Milton Social Library.

He attended the Nute school in West Milton, i.e., the Nute Ridge school. One of his teachers was John Brewster (1813-1886), for whom Wolfeboro’s Brewster Academy is named. Brewster was hired, just before he turned sixteen years of age, to teach the 1828-29 academic year at the Nute Ridge school. He ultimately became Wolfeboro’s benefactor to a similar extent as Nute became that of Milton (Parker, 1901).

He worked on the farm with his father until he was nineteen years old. When he was a small boy he went to school summer and winter, six weeks each; when he was a big boy he went to the winter school only; all big boys attended winter school. Those who think the “six weeks” schools were not of account are greatly mistaken. The best of them like that in Mr. Nute’s district were kept by college boys and the work done was first class and thorough. The boys went to these schools until they were eighteen or twenty years old. Mr Nute made good use of the time and easily mastered all the textbooks then available for school use. When he was nineteen years old he commenced teaching winter schools in the back districts and the committee said he did good work (Scales, 1914).

It was said of him also that he was “… not highly favored as regards educational privileges, being permitted to attend school only about six weeks each winter. He was so studious, however, and made such use of the limited opportunities offered that at the age of nineteen he engaged in teaching, continuing that occupation during two terms” (Hurd, 1882).

When he was twenty years old he left the farm and went to work in Boston as clerk in Mr. Simmons’ ship-chandler store (Scales, 1914).

Thomas Simmons (1791-1866) appeared in the Boston directories of 1839, 1840 and 1842, as a ship chandler at 7 India street. Simmons resided on Highland street in Roxbury, MA.

When he was twenty-one he commenced work in the boot and shoe business with Elmer Townsend (Scales, 1914).

Elmer Townsend (1807-1871) appeared in the Boston directories of 1840 and 1842, as a leather dealer at 4 Blackstone street, with his house at 17 Louisburgh square (on Beacon Hill).

There was also Elmer Townsend, whose connection with the trade began early in the ’40s, and who was as largely instrumental as any one man could be in laying a firm foundation for our present enormous business. He it was who, seeking new methods to extend the trade, introduced leather sewing machines and other improvements. William W. Wickersham, the inventor, in company with Messrs. Butterfield and Stevens, came to Mr. Townsend with the first model of a wax-thread sewing machine, and so pleased him with the possibilities of its usefulness that the firm of Townsend & Mallard became owners of the patent and set to work manufacturing and introducing the machines. Mr. Townsend eventually became the sole proprietor of the interest. It was an enterprise that required both pluck and perseverance, for the machine was comparatively rude when Mr. Townsend bought it, and as it stood when perfected it was covered by 100 or more patents for improvements, each one of which Mr. Townsend valued at $1000. The royalty paid to Elias Howe for a very simple attachment was disheartening in its burden, but it had a compensation in a corresponding royalty gained from McKay for his infringement. Mr. Townsend was also interested in many other improvements (Boston Globe, June 15, 1885).

A large dealer in babies’ shoes. – On Wednesday, a young stupid-looking fellow, named George Dewing, went into the store of Mr. Elmer Townsend, in Blackstone street, and lifted a package containing 26 pairs of children’s shoes, and was caught going out with them. Constable Hunt was sent for, and, after his arrest, Dewing confessed that he had stolen another package before, and told where they could be found. This lot contained 27 pairs of small shoes, and one pair of men’s. The first lot were valued at five dollars, which gave the court final jurisdiction, and Dewing was sentenced to two months in the House of Correction for stealing. The second lift was valued at eight dollars, which made the theft beyond the jurisdiction of the court, and the case was sent up to the Municipal Court. In the meantime he will reside in comfortable quarters at South Boston, subject to further orders. A third complaint has been preferred against him, for stealing shoes from another person, but the court did not think it necessary to go through another examination, as he was securely held upon the two first cases. The complainant was directed to lay his case before the grand jury, with the other two cases, and if he does, Dewing must be indicted and convicted of being a common and notorious thief. He tried to cry, but he couldn’t make it go – his lachrymal ducts refused to discount a single tear, and it was a dead dry cry that he made of it (Boston Post, May 22, 1840).

Lewis W. Nute married in Cohasset, MA, August 3, 1845, Priscilla N. Farrar [or Farrow], he of Boston, MA, and she of Cohasset. She was born in Cohasset, MA, December 6, 1819, daughter of Thomas and Priscilla A. (Nichols) Farrar. Both were aged twenty-five years.

His wife, to whom he was married Aug. 1 [SIC], 1845, was Priscilla Farrow of Cohasset, Mass. They had no children (Scales, 1914).

Quaker brothers T.P. & O. Rich formed a partnership in December 1841 (Boston Post, December 7, 1841). Lewis W. Nute began to work for them at about that time.

Later he worked with the firm of T.P. and O. Reit [Rich] & Company, remaining with them until 1848 (Scales, 1914).

Younger brother Otis Rich (1806-1876) had been active in the Boston leather trade from the 1830s.

LOST. – On Saturday, 28th Sept. was dropped from a truck coming from schooner Reeside, at Mercantile wharf to Otis Rich’s store, No. 38 Broad street, four sides red Leather, marked O. The finder will he suitably rewarded by leaving them at said store. oct8 3t (Boston Post, October 11, 1833).

The partnership of T.P. and O. Rich appeared in the Boston directory of 1846, as wholesale boot, shoe & leather dealers, at 38 Broad street. Otis Rich retired from the partnership about 1848, in order to engage in the California shipping trade (Boston Post, June 27, 1876).

Elder brother Thomas P. Rich (1803-1875) appeared in the Boston directories of 1848 and 1849, as a wholesale boot, shoe and leather dealer, and auctioneer, at 45-47 Pearl street. His passport described him as being 5′ 9″ tall, with brown hair, blue eyes, and a “blonde” complexion. He had also a high forehead, full chin, and a “prominent” nose. He became a Democrat state representative from Boston in November 1858. He and his wife died in their residence at the Parker House hotel, in Boston, some few months apart, in 1875.

The business portion of Pearl street in 1848 was of very limited extent. The shoe trade at first took the southern side of the street. The largest business house here was undoubtedly that of T.P. & O. Rich, which was merged into those of T.P. Rich, Warren Mallard; Townsend & Mallard; Townsend, Mallard & Cowing; Rich, Cowing & Hatch and Cowing & Hatch. It is now extinct, but at one period of its existence this house led the trade in the amount of sales (Boston Globe, June 15, 1885).

Lewis W. Nute went to work next for Allen, Harris & Potter in 1848. Allen, Harris & Potter appeared in the Boston directory of 1846 as boot, shoe, and leather dealers at 57-59 Pearl street.

… then with Allen, Harris & Potter, with whom he remained until May 1, 1853, when he purchased an interest in the business, and the new firm became Potter, Elder & Nute (Scales, 1914).

Its partners were Freeman Allen (1800-1861), whose house was at 29 Pemberton square, Nathaniel Harris (1812-1880), whose house was at Brookline, MA, and John Cheney Potter (1812-1870), whose house was at Newton, MA. Franklin B. White (1830-1885) was an employee there from 1847. Silas Potter (1820-1891) joined as a silent partner in 1848 (he was no relation to the other Potter). He boarded at 3 Bowdoin street.

It looks like a contradiction, but it is the fact that while the amount of business done was very small compared with its present proportions, the Pearl street of the early days was very much the busiest, noisiest and most crowded place. It was choked with frequent blocks of vehicles, and wore altogether an air of enterprise and activity that would astonish many of the sedate denizens of the street of today. It was customary to extend business hours into the evening, and many a big sale was made “after supper” (Boston Globe, June 15, 1885).

Lewis Nute, a trader, aged thirty years (b. NH), headed a Boston, MA, household at the time of the Seventh (1850) Federal Census. His household included Pris. Nute, aged twenty-seven years (b. MA). They shared a two-family dwelling in Ward Six with the separate household of William Spurden, a trader, aged thirty years (b. England).

Allen, Harris & Potter paid $800 in Boston taxes on its $125,000 in personal estate, i.e., their stock in trade, in 1852 (Boston Assessing Department, 1853).

P.A. Ames (1826-1909) proposed Lewis W. Nute for membership in Boston’s Columbian Lodge of Masons, to which he was initiated February 5, 1852. He was passed there, March 4, 1852, and raised there, April 9, 1852. (The Columbian Lodge, A.F. & A.M., was instituted by Paul Revere in 1795).

BAH! – The facility with which a class of Americans make themselves ridiculous, is just now receiving an illustration. A company of gentlemen from Massachusetts, calling themselves Knights Templars, are now paying a visit to Richmond and Virginia, and it is formally announced that the officers accompanying them are “Sir William Parkman, Sir John S. Tyler, Sir P. Adams Ames, Sir John A. Cumming, Sir Benjamin Dean,” etc. Yes, Sir-ee, Bob! (Berkshire County Eagle, May 27, 1859).

Preston A. Ames, a merchant, aged twenty-six years (b. MA), was a tenant in Isaac Little’s [Union House] hotel, in Hingham, MA, at the time of the Seventh (1850) Federal Census.

In an alternate telling of this period in his life, we learn that Lewis W. Nute was taken ill about this time and nearly died. Upon recovering, he was taken into a partnership with “Potter & Co.”

When a young man Mr. Nute went to Boston to work for the leather firm of Potter & Co. He worked there for several years, when he was taken sick and nearly died. When he recovered he found that all his bills were paid and he was a silent partner in the firm. He was considered the best judge of leather in Boston (Boston Globe, September 6, 1888).

Allen, Harris & Potter appeared in the Boston, MA, directory of 1853, as dealers in boots, shoes & leather, at 57 Pearl street. Silas Potter, William H. Elder, and Lewis W. Nute formed a new partnership, May 1, 1853. Potter, Elder & Nute paid $608 in Boston taxes on its $80,000 in personal estate, i.e., their stock in trade, in 1853 (Boston Assessing Department, 1854).

Potter, Elder & Nute appeared in the Boston, MA, directory of 1854, as dealers in boots, shoes & leather, at 57 Pearl street. Potter, Elder & Nute paid $828 in Boston taxes on its $90,000 in personal estate, i.e., their stock in trade, in 1854 (Boston Assessing Department, 1855).

Potter, Elder & Nute had a letter awaiting pickup at the Charleston, SC, post-office in February 1854 (Charleston Daily Courier, February 17, 1854). The firm had perhaps a “drummer,” i.e., a traveling salesman, active in the area.

In those days before they had the present financial arrangement for exchanges, buyers used to bring their money here [to Pearl Street], buy their goods and pay for them if they were able to do so, and if not to take them on eight months’ time with the privilege of renewing for eight months more if they wanted to. Very few of the dealers in town had any concern in the manufacture of goods. It was not the custom of buyers from abroad to visit the factories as at present, nor was the convenient drummer then to be found. In order to meet the demand, the traders were forced to carry larger and more varied stocks than now. Then stocks had consigned goods but smally represented, and these were gathered by a system of barter then in vogue which necessitated the carrying of a stock of leather as well as of shoes. For this stock of leather the goods of Southern and Western merchants were often hypothecated in payment, and frequent purchases of leather were made upon the arrangement of turning over goods in payment for it before a shoe had been sold. The manufacturers made weekly visits to the towns, usually on Saturday preceding their stocks of shoes, which came from the railways and baggage wagons later. Small manufacturers sometimes came in with their one or two cases upon their shoulders. The goods were examined and a price set upon them, after which an adjournment was made to the cellar, where other prices were made for the leather stock, and the trade was then consummated by settlement, generally on the basis of two-thirds stock to one-third cash. It was not an uncommon thing to exact a round profit on the stock and then sell the shoes at another good profit above their normal cost; but this was thought to be fair, for the manufacturer was never at a loss to regain the cost of his productions, and the dealer had to run the risk of a Southern or Western repudiation. which was the curse of the times (Boston Globe, June 15, 1885).

Charles Brewster (1813-1893) kept a dry goods store in Ft. Madison, IA, and made periodic buying trips “in the east,” where he filled some of his inventory at Potter, Elder & Nute. In this transaction, and in several lawsuits against others that “repudiated” their debts, i.e., defaulted on them, the shoe dealers’ methods may be glimpsed.

In that [1854] year, he started his purchasing in Boston on February 28 with an order for shoes, boots, and leather trunks from Potter, Elder & Nute, totaling $760.38. Four days later, he completed purchases totaling $1339.85 in yard goods and men’s’ clothing from two other Boston houses (Pilcher, 1979).

Potter, Elder & Nute appeared in the Boston, MA, directory of 1855, as dealers in boots, shoes & leather, at 57 Pearl street, with partners Silas Potter, who had his house at 103 Harrison avenue, William H. Elder, who had his house at 1 Bulfinch street, and Lewis W. Nute, who had his house at 33 Myrtle street.

Lewis W. Nute, a boot and shoe dealer, aged thirty-five years (b. NH), headed a Newton, MA, household at the time of the 1855 MA State Census. His household included Priscilla Nute, aged thirty-five years (b. MA).

Potter, Elder & Nute donated $100 to the Seaman’s Friend Society in April 1855. They were one of the larger Boston donors. (Allen, Harris & Potter donated also $100) (Wilmington Daily Herald (Wilmington, NC), April 25, 1855)).

Goods were sent to St. Louis by water from here [Pearl Street] by the way of New Orleans. St. Louis was then the extreme Western market. There were other distributing points, like Louisville, Memphis, New Orleans and other points on the Mississippi. Chicago was not then known as a point of distribution. and competition was all in a southern direction. It took in those days two or three months to get goods from Boston to St. Louis. When gold was discovered in California [in 1848] a large market was opened there for boots and shoes, and they were taken around the horn, requiring six months for the delivery. To this day, notwithstanding the fact that goods are now so largely manufactured in California, a considerable trade remains with the Pacific slope, and not a few buyers from San Francisco, Oregon and other extreme Western points are seen during a year in Boston (Boston Globe, June 15, 1885).

Potter, Elder & Nute sued Richard Ritter in Sangamon County (IL) Circuit Court, in November 1855, to recover a debt. Ritter had given Potter, Elder, and Nute a promissory note but then failed to pay.  Ritter retained the Illinois law firm of Lincoln & Herndon to represent him. Yes, Abraham Lincoln’s law firm, although this case was handled by his partner, William H. Herndon. Ritter agreed to a judgment against himself for $353.37. The court sold 280 acres of land that belonged to him to satisfy the judgment (Papers of Abraham Lincoln, 2006).

The firm of Potter, Nute, White & Bayley paid $800 in Boston taxes on its $100,000 in personal estate, i.e., their stock in trade, in 1856 (Boston Assessing Department, 1857). Potter, Nute, White & Bayley appeared in the Boston, MA, directory of 1856, as dealers in boots, shoes & leather, at 57 Pearl street, with partners John C. Potter, Jr., who boarded at Newton corner, Lewis W. Nute, who had his house at Newton corner, Franklin B. White (1830-1885), who had his house at Milton, MA, and James C. Bayley (1832-1883), who had his house at 14 Avon place.

POTTER, WHITE & BAYLEY, Manufacturers of Boots, Shoes and Brogans, Nos. 128 and 130 Summer Street; Factories Cochituate, Farmington, and North Abington. – One of the oldest-established and leading firms of boot and shoe manufacturers in New England is that of Messrs. Potter, White & Bayley, whose salesrooms and warehouse are so centrally located at Nos. 128 and 130 Summer Street. The business was established in 1839 by Mr. Amassa Walker, succeeded in 1848 by the firm of Emerson, Harris & Potter, in 1847 it became that of Allen, Harris & Potter, succeeded by Potter, Elder & Nute in 1853, and, then, again in 1856 by the firm of Potter, Nute, White & Bayley. In 1862 Mr. Nute retired and Mr. John C. Potter, Mr. Franklin B. White, and Mr. James C. Bayley organized the well-known firm of Potter, White & Bayley and who did so to advance their quality of product, and introduce fine hand-made and machine-sewed goods that are fully the equal of custom work. The decease of Mr. Bayley occurred in 1873 [1883], and of Mr. White in 1885, since which date Mr. Potter has actively conducted this immense in co-partnership with his son, Mr. F.C. Potter, a young man of great executive ability and sterling integrity, and Mr. H.M. Stephens, a popular salesman. The honored old name and style, a veritable trade mark, has been permanently retained and the house maintains its lead in the van of progress, with perfected and ample resources at command. Their factories are three in number, and situated respectively at Cochituate, Farmington, and North Abington. They are unusually extensive, substantial structures, fitted up with the latest improved machinery and appliances, and afford employment to upwards of fifteen hundred hands, engaged in the manufacture of the finest and medium grades of men’s and youth’s boots, shoes and brogans. The proprietors exercise closest personal supervision over their large concern, and are recognized authorities in their line, exercising the soundest judgment and the utmost care in the selection of leather and findings and noted for the elegance of cut and perfection of finish, as well as the essentials of strength and durability. These are the handsomest and most popular lines of men’s fine and medium wear on the market today, and the firm’s trade therein has attained proportions of great magnitude. They have three floors at Nos. 128 and 130 Summer Street, devoted to salesroom and carrying of a heavy stock. The importance of this to buyers is evident. These are not special sample lines, but the goods as will be shipped, every box subject to inspection, while, as regards price and quality the firm challenge competition. Their goods are in growing demand throughout the entire United States, and the interests developed are of appreciated value in maintaining Boston’s supremacy in this important branch of trade (American Publishing, 1889).

Potter, Nute, White & Bayley appeared in the Boston, MA, directory of 1857, as dealers in boots, shoes & leather, at 57 Pearl street.

L.W. Nute of the firm of Potter, Nute, White & Bayley, shoe & leather dealers, of 57 Pearl Street, appeared in a lengthy list of members of the Boston Board of Trade, in 1858 (Boston Board of Trade, 1858).

Lewis Nute, a shoe merchant, aged forty years (b. NH), headed a Newton (West Newton P.O.), MA, household at the time of the Eighth (1860) Federal Census. His household included Priscilla Nute, aged forty years (b. MA), and Eliza Morgan, a servant, aged thirty-five years (b. Nova Scotia). He had personal estate valued at $1,000.

Potter, Nute, White & Bayley appeared in the Boston, MA, directory of 1861, as dealers in boots, shoes & leather, at 57 Pearl street, with partners John C. Potter, Jr., who had his house at Roxbury, Lewis W. Nute, who had his house at Newton Corner, Franklin B. White, who had his house at Milton, MA, and James C. Bayley, who had his house at 15 Union Park.

The Sheriff of Boone County, IL, held a sale of real estate seized from Henry L. Crosby of Belvidere, IL, August 28, 1861. The seizure and sale sought to satisfy an older court judgment against Crosby in favor of Nute’s prior firm of Potter, Elder and Nute. This would seem to be another case, similar to the Ritter case of 1855, in which footwear had been supplied to a merchant on credit, and that merchant then defaulting or “repudiating.”

SHERIFF’S SALE. BY VIRTUE of an alias Execution and Fee Bill, issued out of the Clerk’s office of the Circuit Court of Boone County and State of Illinois, and to me directed, whereby I am commanded to make the amount of a certain Judgment recently obtained against Henry L. Crosby, in favor of Silas Potter, William H. Elder, and Lewis W. Nute, out of the lands, tenements, goods and chattels of the said Henry L. Crosby, I have levied on the following property, to wit: Lots No. two and three, in Block No. forty in the Original Town of Belvidere, Boone County, Illinois, and the tenements thereon. Therefore, according to said command, I shall expose for sale, at public auction, all the right, title and interest of the above named Henry L. Crosby in and to the above described property, on Wednesday, the 28th day of August, 1861, at one o’clock, P.M., at the Court House, in Belvidere, Boone County, Illinois. Dated at Belvidere, this 6th day of August, 1861. HENRY F. JENNISON, late Sheriff of Boone County, Illinois (Belvidere Standard, August 20, 1861).

H.L. Crosby, a merchant, aged forty years (b. NY), headed a Belvidere, IL, household at the time of the Eighth (1860) Federal Census. He had real estate valued at $1,500 and personal estate valued at $500.

Lewis W. Nute’s particular market niche was inexpensive Brogan and plow shoes. The term Brogan derives from the Irish Gaelic word bróg, meaning simply “shoe,” and its diminutive brógán, meaning “little shoe.” They were “little” in the sense that they rose only to or above the ankle, but not so high as boots. Brogans were an Army shoe style, from as early as the English Civil War, and were widespread in both armies of the American Civil War. (Thomas Jefferson wore Brogans to his 1801 inauguration). Generally, civilian Brogan and plow shoes were cheaper grades of work shoes popular especially in the south and west. Some Brogan-style shoes featured waxed uppers, presumably to make them water-resistant. Kip Brogans were made from calfskin.

Potter, Nute, White & Bayley sold 1,236 pairs of Army shoes to the Massachusetts Commissary General, for $1,335.60, in 1861. The Commissary General purchased at this time 45,113 pairs in all, from 17 different vendors, for a total of $73,986.60 (MA Adjutant General, 1862).

BOSTON BOOT AND SHOE MARKET. Saturday, October 12, 1861. No change in the general features of the market. The aggregate of sales has been fair for the season, but they are principally confined to one specialty, that of army goods; for these, rates of both stock and work are advancing, and while leather adapted for this purpose is eagerly sought for and sold readily for cash, there is no less inquiry for workmen, to whom good wages and constant employment are being given. The manufacture of sewed army shoes is now firmly established in Norfolk, Plymouth and a portion of Middlesex counties, but in other parts of the State it has not been so generally introduced and is not so flourishing. Government has recently been paying considerable sums to parties here holding contracts, and the effect is already visible in the trade. The shipments for the week compare favorably with those of the corresponding week of last year. New York has taken 5551 and Cincinnati 2262 cases, a considerable portion of which are army goods. – Shoe and Leather Reporter (New England Farmer, October 19, 1861).

The Town of Newton, MA, charged William Thomas $21.12 in property taxes for his house valued at $3,200 in 1862. (A “mil” rate of $6.60 per thousand [!]). Thomas owned three houses; this was the one “occ. by L.W. Nute” (Newton Auditing Department, 1863).

The shoe dealers of Pearl street had a visit from well-known and controversial Methodist minister and Whig newspaper editor, William G. Brownlow, of Knoxville, TN, in June 1862. He mounted a counter in the store of Nute’s former partners and delivered a speech.

Parson Brownlow was recently called upon to address a large assemblage of the shoe dealers in Pearl street, Boston. He entered the store of Messrs. Allen, Harris, & Potter, and, the fact becoming known a large number of his admirers rushed in en masse and filled the principal room. The Parson thereupon mounted the counter and delivered a characteristic address, which was listened to throughout with the most earnest attention and elicited deafening applause (Louisville Courier Journal, June 4, 1862).

Parson Brownlow’s daughter was famous also for having refused a demand by Confederate soldiers to remove a U.S. flag hanging at their Knoxville home. She held them off with a pistol. The family was expelled from Tennessee in April 1862. Brownlow would eventually be post-war Governor of Tennessee and a U.S. Senator from there.

Thomas Officer & W.H.M. Pusey, bankers, tax-paying & collecting agents, of Council Bluffs, IA, included Potter, Nute, White & Bayley, of Boston, Mass., among their references in a newspaper advertisement of November 1862 (Council Bluffs Nonpareil, November 29, 1862).

Lewis W. Nute continued with Potter, Nute, White & Bayley until, as one source had it, he “retired,” i.e., he left the partnership, in 1862, or, as in the following, he “took the entire business,” i.e., he bought out the others, in 1863.

In 1857 the firm changed to Potter, Nute, White & Bayley. In 1863 Mr. Nute took the entire business and held it as long as he lived. His specialty for a long time was the manufacture of brogans and plow-shoes. For a long time his wholesale store was at 27 High street, Boston. He had an extensive manufactory at Natick, Mass. His career was a remarkable one; strict in his business methods, honest in his dealings with his employees, and a large-minded citizen who loved and did not forget his old home in Milton (Scales, 1914).

Potter, Nute, Elder and Bayley were among the Boston contributors that collectively donated $35,000 to a fund for the benefit of the Western Sanitary Commission, in January 1863. Silas Potter gave individually (Forman, J.G, 1864). The Western Sanitary Commission funded medical supplies and nurses for Union soldiers in the western theater, as well as assistance to freedmen. (Nute’s nephew, George A. Nute (1842-1891), served in Company C of the Thirteenth NH Volunteer Infantry, from September 19, 1862, until June 21, 1865).

L.W. Nute signed a remonstrance addressed to the Massachusetts General Court (House and Senate) in April 1863. It opposed the establishment of a proposed Metropolitan Police force under the direction of the Massachusetts Governor.

To the Honorable the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General Court: The undersigned, citizens of Boston, or doing business therein, respectfully remonstrate against the passage of the Bill now pending in the General Court, providing for the establishment of a Metropolitan Police. George W. Messinger, Thomas H. Russell, Eben. Jackson, Wm. J. Hubbard, Patrick Donahoe, John Lee Watson, Herman Lincoln, Jas. O. Watson, James Paul, Wm. T. Eustis, E.L. Cunningham, Paul Adams, Jr., George E. Brown, John T. Clark, Jas. H. Beal, Theo. A. Gore, J.W. Tyler, Jas. G. Smith, Jno. S. Blatchford, Geo. K. Stevens, E.R. Seccomb, Nathan Crowell, Jonas Fitch, Fred. Howe, Hallet, Davis & Co., Wm. P. Ellison, Jos. T. Brown, I.C. Howes, L.B. Harrington, Otis Everett, Frank’n B. White, W.C. Crane, L.W. Nute, Sam’l C. Nottage, James C. Bayley, N.K. Skinner, John C. Potter, Jr., Henry E. Cobb, S.B. Smith, C.C. Batchelder, Benjamin Callender, Horace G. Tucker, Geo. E. Learnard, J. Edwin Hunt (MA Senate, 1863).

A “remonstrance” differs somewhat, if only in tone, from a petition, in that it seeks to correct officials who are engaged in making an error. Hundreds of prominent citizens, as well as the Boston aldermen, submitted remonstrances opposing this proposed police establishment. On this one signed by Nute, we may readily recognize the names of Thomas H. Russell, then a senior partner in the law firm that would craft Nute’s will (but later to be a senior Massachusetts judge); John C. Potter, Jr., Franklin B. White, and James C. Bayley, who were Nute’s partners in the firm of Potter, Nute, White & Bayley; and Henry E. Cobb, a prominent banker, who would be named later as a Nute executor.

L.W. Nute of Newton, MA, registered for the Civil War Class II military draft in Middlesex County, MA, June 20, 1863. He was a mechanic, aged forty-three years (b. NH), with no military experience.

Lewis W. Nute appeared in the Boston directory of 1867, as a wholesale dealer in boots, shoes and leather at 53 Pearl street.

Lewis W. Nute appeared in the Boston directories of 1869 and 1870, as dealing in boots, shoes and leather, at 55 Pearl street, with his house at 92 Worcester street.

L.W. Nute appeared frequently in newspaper financial columns that featured lists of Receipts of Leather and Hide deliveries. L.W. Nute was reported, on August 3, 1872, as having received 3 rolls of leather; and 10 rolls via the Boston & Providence Railroad in November 1872 (Boston Globe, August 3, 1872; November 7, 1872).

The Pearl Street “Colony” of boot, shoe and leather dealers, including Lewis W. Nute & Co.’s Pearl Street premises, was completely destroyed in the Great Boston Fire of 1872. Only some safes were saved. The 55-59 Pearl Street building was listed among those destroyed. Its owners were the Freeman Allen heirs and its assessed value was $25,000. The named tenants were Hofmes, Harlowe & Co, boots; Potter, White & Bailey, boots; and B.B. Blanchard & Co., boots. This fire of November 9-10, 1872 was Boston’s largest fire ever and remains one of the largest in U.S. history.

DEVASTATION! Pearl Street. All the magnificent stone buildings on Pearl street, throughout its entire length from Milk to Broad streets, are now but unsightly, misshapen heaps of ruins (Boston Globe, November 11, 1872).

Condition of Safes. A number of safes were taken out of the building on the left hand side of Milk street below the new Post-office, yesterday. These safes were of iron, lined, enclosed by a thick brick wall and protected by boiler iron. The contents were found intact. Johnson, Rust & Co., Nos. 85 and 87 Pearl street; L.W. Nute & Co. and Samuel W. French & Co., in the same building, preserved their books and papers. The contents of the safe belonging to Dunbar, Hobart & Whidden, Pearl street, were also found all right yesterday forenoon. Other parties were less fortunate. A safe belonging to J.M. Beebe & Co., Winthrop square, which was opened yesterday morning, contained nothing but a few charred books and papers. Another safe was taken from the site of Smith’s express office, corner of Water and Kilby streets, and on being opened the contents were found to be in a very bad condition. Messrs. Horswell, Kinsley & French, Winthrop square, recovered from their safe a small portion of gold coin which had been melted like lead, and a set of diamonds bedded in a shapeless mass in what had been the gold of an elegant brooch. Two vaults belonging to J.R. Bigelow, No. 43 and 45 Federal street, preserved their contents in fine condition (Boston Globe, November 16, 1872).

One of the ironies of this serious fire lies in its being fueled partly by taxation or, at least, by the desire to avoid taxation. It seems that materials and products stored in the attics and eaves of buildings were not subject to taxation, which occasioned those tax-free spaces being stuffed “to the rafters,” so to speak, with flammable materials.

L.W. Nute was elected to the Transportation committee of the New England Shoe and Leather Association, at its annual meeting held at 91 State Street in Boston, MA, January 15, 1873. He served with A.L. Coolidge, C. Coon, C.W. Hersey, and C.F. Parker (Boston Globe, January 16, 1873).

Yellow Fever raged in Memphis, TN, in October 1873, and donations were collected for its victims in Boston, MA, and throughout the country. (Milton’s Ice Industry sent five train cars full of ice (about six hundred tons) for a similar outbreak in September 1878).

LOCAL INTELLIGENCE. THE CITY. The following additional contributions have been received for the Memphis sufferers by Geo. J. Dockray. agent of the Great Western Despatch Company, No. 25 Water street; L.W. Nute, $25; Moore, Smith & Co., $20. Previously reported, $1285. Total $1330 (Boston Globe, October 13, 1873).

Lewis W. Nute had some sort of business arrangement or relationship with the J.O. Wilson & Co. shoe factory of Natick, MA, by which he served apparently as its exclusive sales agent. Its partners were John O. Wilson (1821-1906) and his son, Edward H. Wilson (1845-1882), until the son’s death, and thereafter, Henry G. Wood (1853-1895). Nute might have been some sort of silent partner, investor, or contracting customer. (Some accounts go even so far as to imply that Wilson worked for him).

J.O. Wilson & Co., Manufacturers of Men’s, Boys’ and Youths’ Brogans and Plow Shoes. – The well and favorably known establishment of J.O. Wilson & Co., manufacturers of men’s, boys’ and youths’ brogans and plow shoes, is in all respects the leading, largest and best equipped firm in this branch of industrial activity hereabouts, and which since the inception of enterprise thirty-two years ago has maintained record of steady progress. This flourishing business was established in 1855 by the present senior member, the style changing ten years to J.O. Wilson & Son, who conducted it up 1881, when the firm name changed to J.O. Wilson & Co., and as such it has since been continued with uninterrupted success. The factory is a huge four-story structure 30×200 feet in superficial dimension, with two wings, each 30×60 feet in area, supplied with full steam power and equipped with the most improved machinery, devices and appurtenances, including a one hundred-horse power boiler and a sixty-horse power engine, forty stitching-machines, etc. (over two hundred machines of all kinds being in service), while employment is afforded to from three hundred and fifty to four hundred and twenty-five hands. The average daily output runs from five thousand to six thousand pairs, however, the shop having a capacity to turn out as high as seven thousand pairs a day when required, and a heavy and excellent stock is constantly carried. The trade extends all over the United States, the products being strong, coarse wear, entirely, and altogether an enormous business is done. The ownership consists of Messrs. J.O. Wilson and H.G. Wood, natives of Massachusetts and New Hampshire respectively, the founder of the business being now a gentleman of sixty-seven but active and vigorous, while Mr. Wood is a young man of push and enterprise. Mr. Wilson is the popular and respected president of the Five Cents Savings Bank, and is also a director of the Natick Gas Company and the Horse R.R. Company and a trustee of the Public Library, and deacon of the Orthodox Church. Lewis Nute & Co., No. 27 High street, are the firm to whom all orders for the above goods should be sent (International Publishing, 1887).

The young and enterprising Mr. Wood died suddenly in 1895, and Nute’s surviving partner, Charles H. Moulton, was a pallbearer at his funeral (Boston Globe, October 21, 1895).

J.O. WILSON & SON appeared in the Natick directory of 1873, as shoe manufacturers, on North Avenue, at its corner with Walnut street. His house was at Walnut street, corner of Grove street. J.O. Wilson received 11 rolls of leather from the Merritt & Company’s Express, and L.W. Nute received 4 rolls, in December 1873 (Boston Globe, December 10, 1873).

Mrs. L.W. Nute appeared in a list of subscribers to “Our Dumb Animals,” a publication of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA), in May 1873 and May 1874 (MSPCA, 1874). Lewis W. Nute appeared in a list of subscribers to “Our Dumb Animals,” in May 1876 (MSPCA, 1876).

The following Boston Globe article cites L.W. Nute (and his contract manufacturer, J.O. Wilson & Son of Natick, MA) as being an exception to the general run of closures and business failures of the prevalent financial Panic of 1873. This worldwide economic recession was at its worst between 1873 and 1877. (The Globe article included also some snide allusions to Reconstruction-era southern black legislators, as being men of small understanding and oversized feet, for which they ordered from Nute the shinier variety of cheap work shoes).

NATICK. Shoe Business. The shoe business in Natick remains quite dull. Some factories are doing nothing. and others are making a half or a quarter their usual amount of goods. The only exception to this stagnant condition of things is the factory of J.O. Wilson & Son, who manufacture for L.W. Nute of Boston. Mr. Nute has kept his business going on as usual, and since November 1, 1873, Wilson & Son have manufactured for him 2457 cases of “brogans” and “plough shoes,” and are still at work filling orders at the rate of 130 cases a week. Their pay roll ranges from $8000 to $10,000 per month. which is punctually paid. Last year, they manufactured 4627 cases. This firm has just manufactured three pairs of “wax brogans,” No. 16, for a couple of colored Representatives-elect to the Mississippi Legislature. It speaks well for the future of Mississippi that she elects to her high places of trust men of large “understanding,” and if these are representative men of that ilk, whenever Mississippi “puts her foot down,” it behooves the people of adjoining States to look out for their corns (Boston Globe, March 23, 1874).

L.W. Nute was elected to the Transportation committee of the New England Shoe and Leather Association, at its annual meeting held at 91 State Street in Boston, MA, January 30, 1874. He served with C. Coon, E. Hutchinson, H.H. MacWhinney, and C.F. Parker (Boston Globe, January 31, 1874).

The Mayor of New Orleans, LA, appealed to the Mayor of Boston, MA, April 18, 1874, for help in dealing with Mississippi River flooding. Over ten thousand acres were inundated. “Many thousands of families are ruined in their fortunes, and threatened with starvation.” Lewis W. Nute subscribed $50 for the “Louisiana sufferers” in April 1874. Over $30,000 was raised (Boston Globe, April 27, 1874).

L.W. Nute, and H.A. Turrel, both of Boston, were guests at the Maxwell House hotel in Nashville, TN (The Tennessean (Nashville, TN), November 29, 1874). Lewis W. Nute appeared in the Boston directory of 1875 as a wholesale boot and shoe dealer, on High street, at its corner with Federal street. H.A. Tirrill also appeared as such also, but at 45 Hanover street. (These were their post-fire addresses, both had been at 55 Pearl street in 1871).

Lewis W. Nute appeared in the Boston directory of 1878, as dealing in boots, shoes and leather, at 27 High street, and boarding at the American House.

Lewis W. Nute is here identified – either correctly or not – as owner of the Natick factory, which was being run by J.O. Wilson & Son. There seems to have been operating a rather complicated arrangement by which some employees had their own separate sub-employees or sub-contractors, who were paid out of the contracting employee’s check. Mr. Nute seems to have become involved in some dispute between two employees and, if the Boston Globe’s follow-on correction was more correct than their original article, he would seem to have judged incorrectly.

NATICK. Caught in the Act. C.O. Wilson, looked upon as being an honorable man of this place, was caught in the act of stealing from his employer yesterday, pay-day. It is not his first theft, but heretofore be has been successful. Wilson was foreman of the stitching-room in the factory of Lewis W. Nute, run by J.O. Wilson & son, and was hired by the month. John Moran is hired by the day in the same department, taking the place of his brother Andrew, who had the riveting by the case and paid two boys out of his pay. Since Andrew has left, Wilson has clipped the coupons and, at the end of the month, sent them into the office, representing the work being done as piecework. He would let Moran go to the office and collect the money, and turn the same over to him, he then paying Moran by the day and the boys by the week, putting the remainder in his pocket. Last month it amounted to $7.50, this month $22, and Moran would not give it up as was demanded. Mr. Moran saw Mr. Nute and told him the story, when he was told to keep the money and he should see Wilson in the morning. He did so, and [Wilson] told him to take his departure forever more (Boston Globe, August 7, 1879).

NATICK. A Correction Cheerfully Made. The Globe of yesterday contained an article which represented that Charles O. Wilson of Natick had been detected in stealing. The Globe reporter had the report of the theft, as he supposed at the time, from responsible parties, but an investigation of the case shows that be was seriously misled. The substantive facts are as follows: Mr. C.O. Wilson, the party charged with wrong-doing, is a middle-aged man who has from childhood resided in Natick and bears an unblemished reputation. Mr. Wilson worked in the factory of J.O. Wilson & Son and was foreman of the stitching room. One Andrew Moran had a job in the same room and employed a number of hands to rivet and eyelet shoes. Moran went to the office monthly with coupons on which he drew his pay by the case and paid his hands by the day, making a profit on his help. Moran was under Mr. Wilson, the foreman, and his habits became so bad that Mr. Wilson virtually discharged him. Mr. C.O. Wilson then proposed to J.O. Wilson & Son to add to his previous duties of foreman the duties of Moran, provided he could hire the help by the day and set the margin of profit Moran had previously received. This proposition was accepted, and C.O. Wilson then hired Moran’s brother John, who performed most of the duties formerly performed by his brother. Mr. L.W. Nute, the real proprietor of the factory, made the price for work, and of course Mr. Wilson did not steal from Mr. Nute. Wilson agreed to pay Moran $1.75 per day for his labor. and Moran informed The Globe reporter that Wilson paid him as per agreement. Moran said to the reporter that he found he had a chance to go for Wilson, and put up the job out of pure revenge. By repeated representations to Mr. L.W. Nute that things were going wrong, Moran secured his end in the discharge of Wilson by Nute. People who knew all the parties and the facts do not question the integrity of Wilson (Boston Globe, August 9, 1879).

Lewis W. Nute, aged sixty years (b. NH), and Priscilla Nute, aged sixty years (b. MA), were lodgers at the American Hotel on Hanover Street in Boston, MA, at the time of the Tenth (1880) Federal Census. Henry Rice, aged thirty-five years (b. MA), was its proprietor. There were twenty-one lodgers, and one hundred thirteen resident servants of various types. (The census enumerator complained of the difficulty of gathering accurate information regarding the American Hotel’s resident staff).

Lewis W. Nute commissioned artist Frank Henry Shapleigh (1842-1906) to paint a picture of his Nute Ridge farmstead, which is dated 1880, and of the view from that farmstead. Shapleigh was an artist of the White Mountain School.

THE FINE ARTS. Frank Shapleigh has divided his time between the White Mountains, his old stamping grounds in Maine, and Cohasset. From these localities he has brought home a crowded portfolio – memories of “the green and pleasant places” of interior New England and of the rough and wind-beaten coast of the Old Commonwealth. Mr. Shapleigh seems to have found an inexhaustible source of artistic inspiration in and about the places of his Summer’s sojourn. He shows us shady nooks in the fields and forests of Maine and New Hampshire, long stretches of sunny landscapes, glimpses of old-fashioned country farm-houses and grass-bordered country roads; and, turning from these, we have the scraggy cedars that cling to the rocks and bluffs of the South Shore, the sands and rocks and the long line of ocean with its burden of white sails. Mr. Shapleigh has worked earnestly and industriously, tbe past season, and has something to show for it worth the showing (Boston Globe, October 20, 1874).

One wonders how they met. Shapleigh’s paintings certainly appeared in exhibitions and galleries in Boston. The article above demonstrates some familiarity at least with Cohasset, MA, from which Mrs. Nute came. Shapleigh was a Boston native – and resident – but he and his parents had also life-long connections with Lebanon, ME.

Lewis W. Nute took Charles H. Moulton (1847-1915) as his partner in 1880, under the name Lewis W. Nute & Company. Moulton was born in Dover, NH, September 2, 1846, son of Josiah and Harriet (Allen) Moulton. Moulton had worked as paymaster for the Cocheco Manufacturing Company in Dover, NH, before he “came to Boston in 1871 and entered the employ of L.W. Nute, shoe manufacturer” (Chilton Company, 1915).

CHARLES H. MOULTON, Manufacturer of Boots and Shoes, No. 27 High Street. – Boston has long been noted as being the centre of the wholesale boot and shoe trade of the United States, and the command of large capital, coupled with the well-known energy and enterprise of the representative members of the trade, has permanently retained this supremacy. Prominent among the reliable and progressive houses extensively engaged in this important trade is that of Mr. Charles H. Moulton, whose office and salesroom are located at No. 27 High Street. Mr. Moulton owns and operates two spacious and well-equipped factories, one being at Dover, N.H., and the other at Natick, Mass. These factories furnish constant employment to 600 skilled operatives who turn out daily 1000 pairs of plow shoes and brogans. This extensive business was established twenty years ago, by Mr. L.W. Nute. In 1880 Mr. Charles H. Moulton became a partner the firm being known by the style and title of “L.W. Nute & Co.” On October 1888 Mr. Nute died after a successful career, when the business became the property of Mr. Moulton, who has since associated with him Mr. Charles E. Bigelow of New York, as special partner. Mr. Bigelow is president of the Bay State Shoe Company, and is a resident of New York City. The brogans, plow shoes, etc., manufactured by Mr. Moulton are general favorites with the trade and public, and are unrivalled for quality, durability, strength, and workmanship. All orders are carefully and promptly filled at the lowest possible prices, and the trade of the house now extends throughout all sections of the United States and Canada. Mr. Moulton was born in New Hampshire, and is a resident of Waltham, where he filled the office of alderman for several years. He is an enterprising and honorable business man, liberal and just in all transactions, and is achieving a substantial and well-merited success (American Publishing, 1889).

L.W. Nute & wf. [wife], of N.H., were arrivals at the American House hotel in Boston, MA, in November 1881 (Boston Post, November 2, 1881). Mr. & Mrs. Lewis W. Nute appeared in the Clark’s Blue-Book editions of 1882 and 1884, as residents of the American House hotel, in Boston’s West End.

Lewis W. Nute was a “special” partner in the Boston firm of Hersey, Whittier & Wyman, to the tune of $100,000, when it failed in August 1883. Hersey, Whittier & Wyman appeared in the Boston directory of 1882, as hide and leather dealers, at 276-78 Purchase street. Its partners were Charles W. Hersey (1837-1885), whose house was at 69 Newbury street, Justin Whittier (1848-1897), whose house was at Newton, MA, and Walter Forestus Wyman (1854-1919), whose house was at Chelsea, MA.

Hersey, Whittier & Wyman. – BOSTON, MASS., August 4. – The announcement will be made in the morning that the large shoe and leather firm of Hersey, Whittier & Wyman, doing business on Federal street. has failed with liabilities of half a million. The suspension, it is stated, is not brought about by the recent heavy failures in that line of trade, but is due entirely to other causes. The firm were sole-leather tanners and dealers in upper leather, 278 Purchase street,-and made an assignment of their property, for the benefit of creditors, to Wm. F. Mullin, of the firm of Mullin & Brown. The failure became known to but very few persons Saturday, and the announcement will be a surprise not only to the general public, but to the greater part of the shoe and leather trade. The firm have as branches Hersey & Co., tanners, of Moose River, N.Y., and George M. Botchford, tanner, of Glensdale, N.Y., and all three concerns go down together. Moose River branch consists of Mr. Hersey and Mr. Wyman, and the Glensdale branch of Botchford & Hersey. The firm have done a large business both in sole leather and in wax and kip, and combined liabilities of the main and branch houses aggregate $500,000. Indebtedness almost entirely to banks, very few notes having been given for merchandise. The assets are large, and the failure, the firm state, is due to the refusal of the banks, on account of the feeling of distrust which at present prevails in reference the shoe and leather trade, to take the firm’s paper as liberally as they have been accustomed to do. The firm is not involved at all in the affairs of F. Shaw & Bros., or any concern which has failed within the last few days. Lewis W. Nute, Natick, boot and shoe manufacturer, is a special partner for $100,000 until February 28, 1885. The firm has been considered worth $200,000 or $300,000, and its failure will tend to check the restoration of confidence which had begun to take place of distrust induced by the Shaw failure and those growing out of it (St. Louis Globe-Democrat, August 5, 1883).

Another Despatch. The suspension of Hersey, Whittier & Wyman naturally causes considerable uneasiness, as on the surface it seemed to indicate a general tendency to demoralization in the shoe and leather trade of the city. A careful analysis of the situation, however, leaves no cause for a panic or general alarm. It is possible that the firm will pay all their liabilities in full, and that Lewis W. Nute, of Natick, the special partner to the amount of $100,000, will be able to save a portion of his capital (Bangor Daily Whig & Courier (Bangor, ME), August 6, 1883).

BUSINESS REVERSES. Hides and Leather. Hersey, Whittier & Wyman, Boston, Mass., commission and tanners, failed; debts $493,747; assets $307,322 (Countin Room Company, 1883). 

Nute might have preserved in this loss as much as $62,000 to $70,000 of his original $100,000 investment (Daily City News, September 7, 1883).

But as Shakespeare had it, “When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions.” The shoe market was experiencing generally a serious downturn, due to which Nute sought a wage reduction in Natick, MA. The J.O. Wilson & Co. workers went out on strike. In response, Nute sought to relocate a part of his manufacturing at least to Dover, NH.

Gleanings in New England. The McKay lasting machine operators in the shoe factory of L.W. Nute, 14 in number, at Natick, Mass., have left work, refusing to instruct green hands who have been employed to fill the places of former “linkers,” who left because of a reduction in prices (St. Johnsbury Index (St. Johnsbury, VT), November 22, 1883).

NATICK. There seems to be no change as yet in the condition of affairs at the shoe factory of J.O. Wilson & Co. Neither have there been the least signs or anything ungentlemanly on the part of the strikers. It is yet maintained that Mr. Nute will take his business to Dover, N.H., to the E.C. Keenear factory, which, it is said, he will have in operation a week from Monday (Farmington News, December 3, 1883).

The Dover City Council sought to “encourage” Nute’s proposed relocation from Natick, MA, to Dover, NH, by exempting him from taxation for a period of ten years. It passed the following resolution to that effect, December 6, 1883:

Resolved, &c. That the firm of Lewis W. Nute & Co., are hereby exempted from taxation for the term of ten years from date – providing they do a business amounting to $100,000 per year in the manufacture of boots and shoes in Dover, meaning hereby to exempt all machinery, stock, and all new buildings which shall be built and used by Messrs. L.W. Nute & Co. for the manufacture of boots and shoes in this city. Passed December 6 (City of Dover, 1883).

Lewis W. Nute & Co. took up some factory space at 10 Grove street in Dover, NH, which had been vacated or partially vacated by John H. Hurd & Co. (It passed to Bradley & Sayward after Nute’s death. Nute’s operation continued under the name of his surviving partner, Charles H. Moulton, in a new factory built by the Dover Improvement Association in 1892).

Bradley & Sayward; factory owned by the Kenney estate; built in 1861; dimensions, 60 x 40; built of wood; four stories; steam power; cost, $4,000; kind of goods manufactured, mens’ and boys; heavy brogans and plow shoes; number of hands employed, forty; yearly pay roll, $10,000. This factory was successively occupied by Goodwin & Kenney, Ira W. Nute, J.H. Hurd & Son, Lewis Nute & Co., Bradley & Sayward (NH Bureau of Labor, 1896). 

Lewis W. Nute (Nute & Co.) appeared in the Dover, NH, directories of 1884, 1886, and 1888, as boot and shoe manufacturers, at [10] Grove street, corner of Third street. HORACE T. BABB, husband of Nute’s niece, Carrie A. (Nute) Babb, appeared as the agent for L.W. Nute & Co, boarding at Mrs. Hannah [(Nute)] Hatch’s, at 11 Sixth street, in 1884-88. Babb was a mill foreman and manager of long experience.

TELLING ANOTHER STORY. A Statement of the Natick Troubles from the Manufacturers’ Point of View. (Special Despatch to The Boston Globe). NATICK, April 14. A representative of the McKay & Copeland Machine Company gave today the following statement in regard to the trouble between the firm of J.O. Wilson & Co. and the Lasters’ Union: “The trouble,” said he, “began last fall When L.W. Nute tried to bring about a reduction of the cost of his machine lasting. He had fourteen machines in the shop. It took two men and a boy about 18 years old to operate each machine. That there might be no injustice to his men he discharged the fourteen young men who had outgrown their occupation, proposing to employ fourteen lads who would be willing to work for its wages. By this move be ensured his operators an advance of two cents and his fitters the same price as before. He hired one or two new nickers. but they were run out of the factory by the disaffected operatives. His machine operators and fitters joined issue with the discharged nickers, and refused to enter his employ again. The machine operators incited the hand lasters, between whom and the firm there was no issue at all, to join them and form a lasters union. The union was formed and the hand lasters left the shop. ‘This caused the shutting up of the factory for some five or six weeks. The unaffected operators began to be anxious to resume work. They gave the hand lasters to understand that unless they pulled out from the machine lasters and went to work again they should obtain friends of theirs to do Mr. Nute’s lasting. and should protect them. “The result of this was that the hand lasters came back to work. The machine lasters were also anxious to come back if they could come at the old price. But the result was a cut-down, because the firm proposed to pay nothing extra for extra sizes or plow shoes; hut it is probable that the two cents advance offered the machine operators would have nearly compensated for the loss. Mr. Nute refused to allow the machine operators to come back at the old price, but did furnish employment to some of them at hand lasting. “The situation remained the same until the close of the present season. The firm in the meantime moved three of its lasting machines to Dover, N.H. Two of the remaining machines were run more or less by boys. At the close of the present season Mr. Nute discharged all his lasters and shut down his factory. “I want it distinctly understood that the boot and shoe trade do not recognize a man’s right to consider himself an employe after he has been paid off at the end of the season. The lasters claim that they are still employes. But we say that they are not. “The firm then procured some twenty new men from other places. Of this number. the Lasters’ Union was successful in gaining over only two or three. Last Thursday night there were five machines running and the new operators were doing good work. The Lasters’ Union used all means to buy off, drive off and intimidate the new men. They left the next day. The town authorities thus far have shown no disposition to afford the new men any protection. There is only one simple issue in this matter and it is this: Has Mr. Nute the right to employ twenty-two men and eleven lads at day wages to fill the place of his discharged help? Must he shut up his factory or employ his old discharged help? The firm employs a large number of men altogether, and the present policy which tends to drive them out of town is not exactly propitious for the business interests of Natick.” (Boston Globe, April 15, 1884).

WHAT THE LASTERS SAY. Statement of the Employes’ Side of the Story in the Natick Difficulty. (Special Despatch to The Boston Globe). Natick, April 17. – A member of the Lasters’ Union voiced the sentiment of his fellows today by making the following statement of the past difficulty at J.O. Wilson & Co.’s: “At the beginning of last fall’s sale, Mr. Wood of the firm called the ‘nickers’ to his office, and told them the firm was going to pay thirty cents per case for ‘nicking.’ They considered it boys’ work, and unless the men were willing to work at that price they would obtain boys. The men refused to accept, because it was a reduction from forty-five cents for regular sizes, fifty-five cents for extra ones, and sixty cents for ‘plows.’ “After discharging the ‘nickers’ Mr. Wood offered to let out to the operators by contract the lasting of the shoes for $1.40 per case, each operator to employ his own ‘fitter and nicker’ and to be responsible for the work. He suggested to them that they could have sixty cents by paying thirty cents to ‘nickers’ and fifty cents to ‘fitters.’ They informed Mr. Wood they would not accept of the contract under any’ conditions. He then told them the firm would hire ‘nickers,’ whereupon three men were put on. The operators were at their posts ready to work. One ‘nicker’ left of his own free will, on account of not being able to do the work, while the other two knew nothing of how to begin, and left in disgust. This obliged all operators to be idle, and they asked for work at handlasting and were refused. “The handlasters were interested in the actions between the firm and machine men. They saw that if the firm was successful in reducing the machine men, it was only a question of time when a similar state of affairs would follow for them. and they induced the men to join the Lasters’ Union for protection. The advisory board of the union sent a committee to the firm to make some adjustment. Not being successful they reported to the board a statement of J.O. Wilson to the effect that if the machine men would return to work he would give 55 cents per case to operators, 50 cents to fitters and 40 cents to nickers for all orders, which left a reduction of eight cents per case. The advisory board deemed it inexpedient to accept the compromise and ordered the lasters out, when the factory was closed for three weeks. At the end of this time the firm sent for the advisory board, to which they said in writing: ‘We will put all the lasters to hand lasting, machine men or not, at the price paid at last sale.’ This was accepted by the board and the men were ordered to resume work, and all machine men were soon at work except those who had obtained work elsewhere. The factory has since run till about the first of April, when they closed to take an account of stock, paying off their help as usual. “All was supposed to be harmonious until about ten days ago, when a new complication was the employment of out-of-town men to run the machines at a reduction, as these men told the Lasters’ Union. they were told by members of the union of the circumstances existing, when the new men stated that they were misinformed as to the condition of affairs and as they now understood the matter, were willing to leave town. The Thursday eight affair was condemned by the union, as they used their every effort to suppress the crowd. “Now, as to a few statements in Tuesday’s GLOBE from the firm’s point of view. The unaffected operatives in the factory had little, if any, stock taken in what they said. They were not recognized by the union in any way. The representative states that Mr. Nute discharged all his lasters and shut down his factory. His statement can be refuted by the language of J.O. Wilson, senior member of the firm, who, so long as any man has left his kit in his factory, does not consider him discharged any more than he does his uppers or sole leather ‘clicks’; but when he discharges a man tells him to remove his kit. It is acknowledged that the firm has a right to employ new help, but the Union claims a right to induce employes, in a legitimate way, to leave the shop when they are working tor a reduction. “He further slates that the officials show no disposition to protect the hew men. This statement is refuted by the Board of Selectmen. who claim orders were given for an extra force if needed, but as the chief of police did not see the necessity of it, he did not call for any help. “While the union men do not care to have any controversy with the McKay & Copeland Machine Company, they purpose to tell things just as they are, not to surprise the citizens with such statements as have appeared from the company. They were in substance contradicted the day before by J.O. Wilson in the local press.” (Boston Globe, April 18, 1884).

Full details have not come to hand as yet, but Nute’s newly-established Dover, NH, operation seems to have had a fire on May 1884 that damaged the factory and destroyed some of his materials.

New England Notes. The damage to L.W. Nute & Co. of Dover is considerably larger than at first supposed. Fifty cases of fitted uppers and 150 sides of whole stock were totally destroyed and the building slightly damaged. In all the amount will be near $7000, covered by insurance. Work will not be resumed till next week (Boston Globe, May 20, 1884).

New England Notes. Lewis W. Nute & Co.’s shoe factory at Dover, N.H., started up on full time yesterday forenoon (Boston Globe, May 12, 1885).

Franklin B. White, who had been one of  Lewis W. Nute’s partners in Potter, Nute, White & Bayley, died in Milton, MA, June 10, 1885.

Death of Franklin B. White. Mr. Franklin B. White, of the firm of Potter, White & Bayley, died at his residence in Milton at 8 o’clock this morning after a brief illness of peritonitis. He was born in Quiney in 1831. Coming to Boston In 1847, he entered the boot and shoe house of Allen, Harris & Potter as a boy, and remained in the trade up to time of his death. The firm of Potter, Elder & Nute succeeded the house of Allen, Harris & Potter, and was in turn succeeded by the firm of Potter, Nute, White & Bayley. The present firm of Potter, White & Bayley was organized in the spring of 1865. James C. Bayley died about a year and a half ago. Mr. White was a director of the Bank of North America, and a director of the Boot and Shoe Exchange. He was also one of the most popular members of the Commercial Club. He has left a widow and one son (Boston Globe, June 10, 1885).

Lewis W. Nute & Co.’s new Dover, N.H., shop was highlighted as doing well by the beginning of 1886.

Dover, N.H. The shoe shops are now doing a good business. L.W. Nute & Co. have 125 employes, whose weekly pay averages $1500. They turn out 180 cases of brogans and plough shoes per week, valued at about $50 per case (Boston Globe, January 1, 1886).

L.W. Nute & Co.’s shoes were still popular and well regarded in its key southern and western markets. Goodbar, Love & Co. of Memphis, TN, but with a branch office at 24 High street, Boston, MA, advertised its shoes for sale.

Also, L.W. Nute & Co.’s Kip Brogans and Plow Shoes – the best Brogans made in the United States – heretofore handled by Goodbar & Co. (Memphis Appeal, February 5, 1886).

Priscilla N. (Farrow) Nute died at the American House hotel in Boston, MA, April 2, 1886 aged sixty-six years.

Another Factory Shut Down. Dover, N.H., May 1 – L.W. Nute & Co.’s shoe factory which resumed work last Monday after four weeks’ shut down has been closed indefinitely. This action resulted from the presentation by the Lasters’ Protective Union to the shoe factories here of a price list demanding an average increase of twenty-five per cent over old wages (Chattanooga Commercial, May 1, 1886).

FRIDAY MORNING, MAY 14, 1886. The Nute shoe factory, in Dover, started up Monday forenoon after a brief shut down. The Hurd shoe factory, which was expected to start up also, did not but will some day this week (Farmington News, May 14, 1886).

The Boston City Council voted, in January 1887, to seek the elimination of the tolls paid on harbor ferries running between East Boston and the main Boston peninsula. Many “modern” arguments were deployed in favor of this. Mr. Foss said it was a matter of “justice”; Mr. Morrison (Ward 1) thought East Boston’s residents were “entitled” to this service; Mr. McEnaney did not think that East Boston residents should be “compelled” to pay; and Mr. Whittemore thought it an opportunity for the legislature to decide. There being no such thing as a “free lunch” or, in this case, a “free ferry,” these councilors were proposing that the costs be paid instead by others that did not use the ferries (Boston Globe, January 21, 1887).

Mr. Frost thought it would set a bad precedent; Mr. Morrison (Ward 9) did not think the city should have to establish “free” ferries; and Mr. Webster observed rightly that if the tolls were removed, then East Boston housing rents would rise as an inevitable consequence. This misguided “free ferry” motion passed by forty votes (62.5%) in favor to twenty-four votes (37.5%) opposed (Boston Globe, January 21, 1887). Boot and Shoe Reporter, in its March 3, 1887 issue, included L.W. Nute & Co. among the sixty Boston boot and shoe companies that “… signed a remonstrance against any legislation giving the City Council authority to abolish the tolls on the East Boston ferries.” His former firm of Potter, White & Bayley signed too.

Lewis W. Nute was suffering by June 1888 – if he had not been before – from Bright’s Disease, i.e., an acute or chronic nephritis (kidney disease), with heart complications. He made out his last will and testament in Boston, MA, June 15, 1888. Shortly thereafter he returned to his Nute Ridge farmstead in West Milton. He experienced there what newspaper obituaries usually characterize as “a lengthy illness.”

LOCALS. Lewis Nute, the well-known shoe manufacturer, lies dangerously ill at his farm in Milton. His is a complicated case, being Bright’s disease, a valvular trouble of the heart, together with congestive symptoms. His recovery is improbable (Farmington News, August 10, 1888). 

LOCALS. There is no improvement in Lewis Nute’s condition, and it seems that it must be only a question of a few days when he passes away (Farmington News, August 17, 1888).

LOCALS. There seems to be no change in Lewis Nute’s condition. Deacon Hussey is reported about the same as last week (Farmington News, August 24, 1888).

The Boston Globe and other papers reported falsely that Lewis W. Nute died on Wednesday, September 5, 1888. He was not a well man but, as with Mark Twain, the reports of his death were greatly exaggerated. (However, their erroneous report did provide an interesting anecdote of his early career).

LEWIS W. NUTE DEAD. Boston’s Big Leather Dealer Expires at His Home. Dover, N.H., Sept. 5. Lewis W. Nute died this morning at the homestead at Milton. When a young man Mr. Nute went to Boston to work for the leather firm of Potter & Co. He worked there several years, when be was taken sick and nearly died. When he recovered he found all his bills paid and he was a silent partner in the firm. He was considered the best judge of leather in Boston. Shortly afterwards the name of the firm was changed to Nute, Potter, White, & Bailey. He stayed with them some years then sold out and went into business for himself with an office in Boston and manufactory in Natick, and five years ago he started the shop in Dover (Boston Globe, [Wednesday,] September 5, 1888).

LEWIS W. NUTE NOT DEAD. The report current, Wednesday, of the death of Lewis Nute proves to be unfounded, as he is still living. This is the second time that the press has had Mr. Nute dead, and we would advise our daily brethren down the river to be a little more cautious how they kill us off up here. We are all human, and all expect to die eventually, but let us do so of our own accord, please (Farmington News, September 7, 1888).

LOCALS. Mr. Geo. Nute of Massachusetts, with other relatives, came Thursday noon under the supposition that his uncle, Lewis Nute, was dead, having seen the account of his death in the daily press (Farmington News, September 7, 1888).

Lewis W. Nute actually died six weeks later in the Nute farmstead on what is now the Nute Ridge Road, in West Milton, NH, October 20, 1888, aged sixty-eight years, nine months, and three days.

LOCALS. Lewis W. Nute died at his residence at Nute’s ridge, Milton, Saturday morning, Oct 20. The remains will be buried in the Mount Auburn cemetery to-day, Thursday (Farmington News, October 26, 1888).

LOCALS. Lewis W. Nute left an estate of over a $1,000,000 (Farmington News, November 2, 1888).

TELEGRAPHIC SUMMARY, ETC. The late Lewis Nute, of Milton, N.H., left $25,000 for building a schoolhouse at that place, and $100,000 as a permanent fund for maintaining the school, in addition to numerous other public bequests (Baltimore Sun, November 6, 1888).

The public bequests of his last will included the Nute High School and Library, and the Nute Memorial Chapel.

The Lewis W. Nute estate appeared in the Boston, MA, directories of 1890, 1894, and 1898, as having its office at 35 Congress street, rm. 20.

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Wikipedia. (2020, June 13). Natick, Massachusetts. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natick,_Massachusetts

Wikipedia. (2020, April 30). Newton Corner, Massachusetts. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton_Corner,_Massachusetts

Wikipedia. (2020, June 10). Newton, Massachusetts. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton,_Massachusetts

Wikipedia. (2020, June 6). Panic of 1873. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panic_of_1873

Wikipedia. (2020, May 2). Ship Chandler. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_chandler

Wikipedia. (2019, October 28). Western Sanitary Commission. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Sanitary_Commission

Wikipedia. (2020, May 26). White Mountain Art. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Mountain_art

Wikipedia. (2020, June 7). William G. Brownlow. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_G._Brownlow

Wikipedia. (2020, March 26). William Herndon (Lawyer). Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Herndon_(lawyer)