Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-06-30
The Boot and Shoe Business of North
BrOOkfieId.

The Boot and Shoe Business of North
BrOOESfieId.
Mr.. Editor In your lengthy and interest
ing historical article on Brookfeld, in your
issue of the 26th inst, you speak of North
Brookfed as surprising the other portions of
the original town, notwithstanding the disad-
vantage OF being four miles from the railroad
and three hundred feet above it, through the
success which has attended the "boot and shoe
business, in the hands of its Batchellers,
Walkers, and Others" This is only one of a
number of articles, which, within the last few
years, have conveyed the idea that the Messrs
Walker, or particularly Hon. Amasa Walker,
was connected with the boot and shoe bust
ness of this town The simple facts are that
Hon. Amasa Walker was engaged successfully
in the boot and shoe business in Boston, as a
merchant, not as manufacturer, for many
years, but never had any connection with the
business in this town. His brother, the Hon.
Freeman Walker, was connected with the
Batcheer firm some four years, about thirty
years ago, and afterward for some two years
manufactured alone, but has done nothing in
the business since 1887.
The historic fact is that the father of the
DOOl anu SllOG UuslIiGSS Ill NORTH DTOOkIlGlu
was Mr. Oliver Ward, who moved from Graf
ton in 1910, and conducted the business in
this town twenty-nine years. He it was who
indicted into the art the Batchellers, whose
enterprise has built up the town.
Mr.. Tyler Batcheler, prodigy of business
talent commenced his career in 1920; four
years atterward, his brother, Mr.. Ezra Batch
eller, became associated with him. and they
continue to the present time managing their
trade with undated zeal, and are now engaged
in enlarging their mandatory, introducing
steam and all the modern improvements. Two
of their sons, a son-in.law and the accom-.
plished financier, Mr. Charles Adams, Jr.,
have been connected with the firm Their
business has sometimes exceeded a million of
dollars year, furnishing employment to not
less than 5000 hands.
A successful business in the manufacture of
shoes was also carried on in this town by Dew
ing & Edmands, for nearly seventeen years
fl om 1885 to lS52-and since that time BY S.
NJ. Edmands & Co., this Mr.. Edmands being
brother of the one who was in business with
Mr.. Dewing, and having Mr.. Duncan associ-
ated with him.
There have been also many other firms,
which for longer or shorter time have helped
to give success to the town, and all engaged in
this same business. Among them should be
mentioned Hiram Ward & Co., johnson & Ed.
son, c. & d. Whiting, Whiting & Haskell,
| Whiting, Lowe, & Co., Bond & jerks, II. b.
& j. N. jerks, jerks & Miller. CULVER &
jerks, CULVER Duncan, & Howe, CULVER &
Stone, z. X. Howe, Pullman, Livermore, &
Montague, Olmstead & r. Walker A. & L. ID.
Batcheller. The last named firm are neph-
ews of I. & &. Batcheler, and open with en-
couraging prospects,
In all the ups and downs of the shoe bust
ness, it is remarkable fact, that for these fif-
ty years there has never been a failure in that
trade in this town, which affected seriously its
prosperity. The course of the town has been
up and onward.
| North Brookfeld June 90 1860