The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-11-01
PAGE TWO

~ N-t~E NRCR N'tN. so0eetAAN
used the building for storing rags
Since that time the building has had
ne regular tenants except vermin.
The bennington Wooden Mills.--In
1865 the firm OF Hunt and Tillinghas
erected a mammoth building in the
northwest part of the village, and
named il the Bennington Wooden
Mills. Here the firm commenced the
manufacture OF Paisley shawls. This
undertaking would nave been abund-
antly successful but for the fact that
when this mill had got in full opera
tlon the supply of this grade of ladies
wear was largely in excess OF the de-
maIid, in fact the manufacture haG
already begun TO decline In 1872 Mr.
Hunt became sole owner OF the prop
erty, but died not long afterward
Then the Fishers, above, mentioned.
became owners of the whole property,
and commenced the manufacture OF
oyercoatings. made principally OF
shoddy, and made specially for the
purpose OF making money. These
proprietors enlarged both building
and machinery, expanding for this
purpose some 100000. But these
partners both died. and the property
was sold to Haines 4 Co., who after
wards tailed. Since this failure TIE
building has had no tenant at was
sold at forced sale and bid in by
Troy parties.
Considerable money has been in,
vested In this property in one way or
another; the structure built by Mr.
Hunt Is understood to have cost about
$4,000. The Fishers bought il for
about 100000, and expended in addi
tions some 100000 After theil
death Haines & Co, paid about $4,000
for the property, and after their fail
tre 1t was sold for some $4,000
Bennington Pottery Works This
important industry of Bennington was
first established in the south part Of
the township on the road leading from
Bennington Center to Pownal, on the
farm of Captain Jonathan Norton, in
the year 1898 and after Captain Nor
ton, his SONS, Human and John, sue
ceeded and continued the business
Up to about 1925 native clay only was
used in the manufacture of earthen
ware, but at that time the proprietors
commenced using clays from Soitf
Amboy and Eong Island, continuing
however, the partial use Of the native
material for some time. In 1888, John
Norton having before withdrawn from
the firm, Luman Norton and his son
Julius, the latter having then ac
quired an interest, moved the bust
ness and machinery to this village
and built new works on Pottery
street, then so called, but now Park
street, where the present owners are
still established. After time tbs
firm name changed to Norton & Fen
ton, and under their proprietorship
In 1S45, the works were destroyed
by fire, but we're at once rebuilt o.
brick, the first being frame build
ing In 1851 Edward Norton became
q partner, and TIE firm style Their
changed to j & T.. Norton, but IN 1855
Human p Norton acquired an inter
est in the business, and the name o.
j. Norton & Co. was adopted. Ii
1861 julius Norton died and E e. /,
p. Norton succeeded. In 1882 Lunar
=. retired. and in 1884 yelling That
cher purchased an interest, the firm
then becoming and to this time re
manning Edward Norton & Co The
business of this firm is the manuiac
ture OF stoneware of all descriptions
and in connection Herewith they al
so deal extensively in glassware ant
crockery.
Fifty years ago or in 1899, Luther
r.. Graves and Henry G. Root formed
co-partnership for the conduct of {
general tinsmithing and manufacture
of tinware business at the old village
of Bennington. but after few years
this plant was moved to the east vii
lage This firm has been continued
In this manufacture to the presen
day Mr., Root formerly had charge
OF the mechanical branch of the bust
ness, while Mr.. Graves drove the wa
gon and sold goods on the road; bu
this business grew at length to large
proportions, and the firm established
branch shops in Other States as wei
as in Vermont. and supplied then
with stock from their Bennington
factory. Neither OF the partners /.
now actively engaged In the tinwart
trade. though the works are still car
ried on and they are its proprietors
The firm name of Graves & Root il
probably the oldest In this region o
the country
1t was not that the people of tn,
pretty, little hamlet of Bennington
ION the hill" seriously opposed tn,
project of building up town on thu
site Of what they were pleased Il
term "Algiers.'' that created thu
strong feeling of unpleasantness be
tween the citizens of the two places
The residents of the upper village
realized full we'll the fact that thu
hover village possessed natural ad
yantages OF situation along the Wal
loomsac with its abundant watel
power that made 1t certain that vii
lage would sooner or later grow upoi
the lands bordering on that stream
hut II was when the lower village
had attempted to take from the oldel
town the county buildings the post
Office, and other OF her loved institu
tions, that an unpleasant feeling be
gan to manifest itself. But the lowel
or east village soon threw off It's
Algerian condition and took the
name OF East Bennington by the es
tablishment of post-otfice there
January IA, 1914, with General Henry
Robinson as postmaster. At this