The Press., 1904-05-04
Continued from last weekly
AN EVENING WITH HISTORY OF
STAFFORD.

AN EVENING WITH HISTORY OF
STAFFORD.
The manufactures.
in West Stafford eighty years ago
have passed away, or are incapable,
if living, of giving accurate statistics
as to the establishment of business in
this part of Stafford, the following
statement cannot be considered accu
rate. as to dates, but only approx
mately SO. Among the early kinds
of business established here may be
mentioned those of grain and lumber
ing. One Samuel Bartlett, some time
in the 18th century, built a saw mill
and grist mill on the site now occu-
pied by g. P. Broadway for a grain
mill and for other purposes. The saw
and grist mills of Mr. Bartlett being
the first business, the place very nat
urally was called and known as Bart
lett's mills. It retained this name
during many years, perhaps till a
post Office was established here by the
name of West Stafford. Since that
time the village has been called West
Stafford Center. The property above
referred to remained in possession of
the Bartlett families during three or
four generations.
A valuable stone quarry, producing
a unique quality of fire-proof stone,
was probably discovered during the
early settlement of this part of the
town, in the vicinity of what is now
known as Grow Hill. This quarry
was owned and operated by Richard
Webber- and Garner Cady during
portion of the 18th and 10Th centu-
ries, furnishing valuable stone for
lining the stacks, so-called, of numer-
GUS iron foundries, not only in this
town and elsewhere in this state, but
also in many places outside OF this
state. Many men were employed
getting out these stone during some
portions of the years. This quarry
is now the property of A. D. Cady of
Stafford, his father having formerly
owned portion, if not the whole Of
the quarry, and having been a part
ner in the quarrying, etc.
Austin Walbridge built a wagon
and blacksmith shop near the W. S.
Center during the early part of the
18th century and pursued the bust
ness several years, after which this
shop was used by Dwight Cushman,
now of Hartford, for the manufacture
of wagons, etc. About the year 1845
this shop was purchased by Simon
Fairman, who at once commenced the
manufacture of wooden and other.
water pumps, and also the manufac-
ture of scroll lathe chucks.
In the year of 1855 John Randolph
Washburn purchased the shop of Mr..
Fairman, and moved his machinery
for making lathe and drill chucks,
iron planes, etc., and making pat
terms for hand and power lathes. He
pursued the machinery business here,
with the exception of about three
years, till about 1891, when he sold
the plant to Pawnall and Foster, who
pursued the manufacture Of lathe and
drill chucks, the property soon pass
ing into the possession of J. G. Per-
kins & Co.
In the year 1949 Dwight Cushman
built factory on the site west of
the Congregational church, recently
known as the Brady property, where
he carried on the business of making
jack spools, small spools, bobbins,
etc. for factories. He then organized
a company for the manufacture of
shoe thread, which was carried on
several years, till by the dishonesty
of their New York agent, who had
the handling of their products and the
purchasing of all their supplies,
forced the company into bankruptcy.
Subsequently the mill was purchased
by Josiah Converse, who conducted
the woolen manufacturing business
till 1861, when the factory was de-
stroyed by fire. The property then
was purchased by Thomas A. Brady,
who built cheap structure, filling in
with cheaper machinery, and made
wrapping twine few years, when
the structure was burned, giving the
insurance companies an object lesson
not easily forgotten, Or at least one
that will not be. by some which in
sured, as is evident by an article re-
Gently published in The Press, under
the heading "Thirty Years Ago."
which stated the loss by this fire as
1856, 900, mostly insured. This
property has since had long resting
spell. 1t has recently been purchased
by O. P. Broadway.
In 1854 Samuel Fitch established
the manufacture of stockinet goods in
West Stafford, commencing in the
mill built on the old Bartlett mill
site by John Warner Fairman, which
Mr.. Fitch occupied few years, then
moving into a factory built by J. R.
Wilton on the Crystal Lake stream,
where he remained till 1865. He
then moved his business to Rock willie.
Since Mr.. Fitch left the factory has
been used by various parties, viz: by
j. r. Wilton for the manufacture of
wrapping twine, by III. Wilton and
FL. A. Buck for making machinery,
rifles, etc., by Joseph Mullen for fin
~
ishing satinet cloth. Since then it
has been owned by several parties,
and been what is generally called
trading property, till recently it has
800 Reward 800.
The reader of this naner Will he nleaaAd to