Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1893-02-11


The history of the city of Lynn and
that OF its shoe industry are, chronology
icaIly speaking. almost identical. The
shoe industry originated In Lynn in
l635, two years before the ferse man
date was promulgated by the general
court Nov. Is. 1887 ''Saugust 10 called
Lin"
Lynn was originally a pretty large
town. Its bounds were lat Charlestown
line. Reading pond, Ipswich river. Sa-
lem and Nahant."
A few men termed cordwinders fcord-
wainers) In the Plymouth charter were
sent over and laid the foundations OF
the shoe business.
Shoemaking has taken a front rank
among the useful arts. The pilgrim fa-
theirs recognized this, and on the third
voyage of the Mayhower the governor
and deputy of the New England COM
Lany sent over u62s) Thomas Beard and
"lsack" Hickman, who were to receive
''their dyett and 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 men known to have
settled In Lynn C82g) were Edmund In
gals, brewer. and his brother. Francis
Ingalls,. tanner. There was plenty of
rsw material Cattle had been intro
dnced by Edward Winslow Q624l, 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 tan
merry ON what is now Burrill street, on
"Humfry's brook" now a part of
Swampscott.
This no doubt gave an impetus to the
shoe industry. The Burrill tannery was
established in 1880, and stood for almost
200 years. The Burrills were called the
Royal family of Lynn" John Burrill
was for twenty-one years a member and
ten years speaker of the house of repre-
sentatives OF Massachusetts.
The first Lynn shoemaker was Philip
Kertland Little is known OF him
save that he came here from Bncking-
hamshire. England, in 1925, and made
shoes for Boston. Salem and Lynn peo-
pie.
Thence commenced the remarkable
growth. In 1643 we find the first iron
works In America established in the
town. These industries thriyed 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
l778. and the 'tea" and other taxes de-
nounced. A company of women. emu
,a.ing the Boston Tea party. went 10
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 men,
bers of provincial congress which con-
vened at Salem in i774 to choose q
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 thar .
protective tariff be imposed. Ii was ut
this time that Ebenezer Breed, a native
of the town, used his wealth and his in
finence 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 well known.
From 1900 to 1910 West Lynn. under
the inspiration of Ebenezer Breed, soon
became manufacturing mart. probably
the most Hourishing of any in the state.
Farming became of secondary impor-
tance. Large factories were built. The
famous Salem and Boston turnpike was
then completed as03l and an imposing
hotel constructed. The population Of
Lynn increased at this period more than
ever before-from 2.S37 in 1901 10 Aust
In 1910.
Ebenezer's son. Isaiah. inherited the
spirit of his father. He was progressive
and above all philanthropic.
At the time when schools were few
and education difficult to obtain he
built school house onto his home, and
for thirty years maintained. at y large
expense. the best school In town.
Norkmen's mutual benefit" associa-
tions were organized in 1914. and IN the
same year we find the Lynn Mechanics
bank incorporated with a capital OF
sl50. 900.
In 1892 the first directory OF Lynn was
published. In it was a list OF shoe man.
ufaeturers. There were sixty. OF
morocco manufacturers there were six.
and in footnote 1t is stated that s.their
yearly business amounts to little more
than SOC, 900.
A few years later Mr.. John d. Alley.
long leading citizen Of the town. be-
gan the manufacture of shoes. establish
ing house which was afterward re-
spected throughout the country. The
Eastern railroad extended a branch To
the city in 1893.
The wholesale shoe trade had now in
creased in proportion. and. as might be
expected. did much for the trade In
general.
In 1850 Lynn was Incorporated city.
The population was 1863 The frst
mayor was George Hood, who. like mest
of the inhabitants. had been q shoe
maker, and whose industry was re-
warded by success both in business aud
political life.
shortly after the breaking ont OF the
war of the rebellion there came the ap.
plication of steam and the multiplica-
tion of auxiliary machines At ths
present time everything except cutting
the uupers IL carried on hy marhirarS