Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1892-09-10
A GREAT SHOE CITY.
HISTORY OF LYNN AND ITS SHOE
! MAKING INDUSTRY.

as Early ms l629-A City Renowned
for Its Patriotism and wealth.
The history Of the city of Lynn and
that of its shoe industry are, chronology
ically speaking, almost identical The
shoe industry originated in Lynn in
1885, two years before the terse man.
date was promulgated by the general
court Nov. Is, 1887. "Saugust is called
Lin"
Lynn was originally pretty large
town. Its bounds were eat Charlestown
line, Reading pond, Ipswich river, Sa-
lem and Nahant."
A few men termed cordwinders (cord-
wainers) in the Plymouth charter were
sent over and laid the foundations of
the shoe business.
Shoemaking has taken front rank
among the useful arts. The pilgrim fa-
theirs recognized this, and on the third
voyage of the Mayflower the governor
and deputy OF the New England COM
pany sent over (l8as) Thomas Beard and
"Isack" Hickman. who were to receive
"their dyett aud houseroom at the
charge of the companie." Hickman
went back. Thomas Beard remained.
He was the first shoemaker in New Eng
land.
The first white mon known to have
settled in Lynn u820) were Edmund In
gals, q brewer, xnd his brother, Francis
ingalls,, tanner. There was plenty Of
raw material. Cattle had been intro
duced by Edward Winslow (l624). and
there were over 200 head, "besides
horses. sheep and goats" brought over
in the next six years. There were deer
and moose In plenty, and indeed buck
skin was the principal wear of the early
colonists. Francis ingalls, built his tam
merry on what is now Burrill street, on
"Humfry's brook" now q part Of
Swampscott.
This no doubt gave an impetus to the
shoe industry. The Burrill tannery was
esta ablished in 1850. and stood for almost
200 years. The Burrills were called the
Royal family Of Lynn John Burrill
was for twenty-ono yenrs member and
ten years speaker Of the house of repre-
scntatives Of Massachusetts.
The first Lynn shoemaker was Philip
Kertland. Little Is known of him
save that he came here from Bucking-
halnshire, England, i'll 1855, and made
shoes for Boston. Salem and Lynn peo-
pie.
Thence comnenced the remarkable
growth. In l643 we find the first iron
works in America established in the
town. These industries thrived until
1850. About that time an artistic
shoemaker from London came to town
and another impulse was given the in
dustry. This man became famous.
Lynn made good record in the
Revolution. Meetings were called in
l773. and the "tea" and other taxes de-
nounced. A company of women. emu
lating the Boston Tea party, went to
the shops and destroyed all the tea in
the town. John Mansfield and Eben-
ezer Burrill. representing the shoe and
leather trade ut that time, were MEM
bers Of a provincial congress which con-
vened at Salem in 17,4 to choose a
COMMITTEE of safety" -Four Lynn men
fell at Bunker Hill. The trade revived
after this war. though there was but
little money.
AS early as 1883 Lynn asked that a
protective tariff be imposed. 1t was Mt
this time that Ebenezer Breed, native
Of the town. used his wealth and his in
Huence to improve the trade. After him
came the johnson family, which accom-
plished much toward the building. up of
the town. Then came the Breed family.
hardly less we'll known.
From 1900 to 1910 West Lynn, under
the inspiration of Ebenezer Breed. soon
became manufacturing mart, probably
the most fourishing of any in the state.
Farming became Of secondary irnpor-
tance. Large factories were built. The
famous Salem and Boston turnpike was
then completed (1SO3) and an imposing
hotel constructed. The population OF
Lynn Increased Mt this period more than
ever before-from 2.S37 in 1900 to 4.OS7
in 1910.
Ebenezer's son. Isaiah. inherited the
spirit of his father. He was progressive
aud above all philanthropic.
At the time when schools were few
and education difficult to obtain Re
built school house onto his home, and
for thirty years maintained, at a large
expense. the best school in town.
Workmen's mutual benefit" associH-
tions We're organized in 1914, and i'll the
same yeur we find the Lynn Mechanics
bank incorporated with capital Of
$3.50. 900.
In 1882 the first directory Of Lynn was
published In it was list of shoe man
ufacturers. There were sixty. OF
morocco manufacturers there were six
and in footnote it is stated that "theiI
yearly business amounts to little more
than 500 900"
A few years later Mr.. John B. Alley.
long leading citizen of the town, he
gan the manufacture of shoes, establish
ing house which was afterward re-
spected throughout the country. The
Eastern railroad extended branch tc
the city In 1888.
The Wholesale shoe trade had now in
creased in proportion, and, as might bt
expected. did much for the trade ii