History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

68 HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
stock of tlie road, and the frost in winter broke
the sleepers into fragments. The stones have all
been replaced with wood. "A bonus of $100,000
was voted by the Locks and Canals Company, paya-
ble on its completion." The cost of the completed
road was $1,834,893, or $70,573 per mile.
The Hon. Edward Everett was the orator for
July 4 this year.
November 15, one of the walls of a brick build-
ing being built by the Hnmiltou Company for their
print-works, fell, and William W. George was
killed.
December 4, the census showed the population of
Lowell, males 2,39:i, females 4,085; total 6,477.
Of these, 631 were aliens.
January 17, 1831, Joseph Tiklen, Samuel Appleton,
William Appleton, George W. Lyman,
and Henry Cabot were incorporated as the Suf-
folk Manufacturing Company, with a capital of
$600,000. Robert Means was the agent until
1842, and was succeeded by John Wright, who
died in 1869. Mr. Wright was succeeded by
Thomas F. Shaw, June 1, 1868.
March 19, Amos Lawrence, Abbott Lawrence,
William Pratt, Thomas B. Wales, George Hallett,
David Sears, William Appleton, and Benjamin R.
Nichols were incorporated as the proprietors of
the Tremont Mills, with a capital of $600,000.
den from 1837 to 1859 ; Charles F. Battles from
1859 to 1870. Thomas F. Shaw succeeded Mr.
Battles when the Tremont and Suffolk were con-
solidated.
During tlie war both the Suffolk and Tremont
engaged in the manufacture of woollens, which
proved to be a losing business.
At the town-meeting of May 11 it was voted
" to hire a room for tlie iiigh school " ; and on
Alpheus Smith's petition for the annexation of
Belvidere, the vote stood, yeas 52, nays 224.
June 7, William Ap])leton, Benjamin R. Nich-
ols, and Natlian Appleton were incorporated as
the Lawrence Manufacturing Company, with a capi-
tal of $1,500,000. William Austin was agent
until 1837, John Aiken from 1837 to 1849, William
S. Southworth from 18 1.9 to 1865, William
F. Salmon from 1865 to 1869, Daniel Hussey
John P. Robinson was the orator for the 4th of
July. The Railroad Bank was incorporated, with a
capital of $600,000. Luther Lawrence was chosen
president, and Pelham W. Warren cashier.
Paul Moody died July 6, 1831. He was born in
Byfield, a parish of Newbury, May 23, 1779, and
was fifty-two years old at his death. He was de-
scended from William Moody, who emigrated from
England and settled in Newbury in 1634.
Jacob Perkins, having invented a machine for
cutting nails, put up a small nail factory in Byfield,
in which young ]\'Ioody found employment. He
continued with Mr. Perkins several years, and was
intrusted by liim with the charge of his machine-
sliop. Having learned to construct a carding-machiue,
the greatest improvement in woollen manu-
facture, he spent some months in Boscawen, N. H.,
and in Maine, making and putting these machines
in operation. In September, 1798, he married
Susan Morrill, daughter of Jonathan Morrill of
Amesbury, to which place he had removed. Soon
after, he entered into copartnership with Ezra
Worthen and others, and erected and run a cotton
mill in Amesbury. In this business he was suc-
cessfully engaged until the War of 1812, about
fourteen years. During this time he had become
a -thorough practical machinist, fully understand-
ing what was then known of cotton spimiing and
Israel Whitney was agent from 1831 to 1834, weaving.
John Aiken from 1834 to 1837, Charles L. Til- In 1814 the Waltham Company was incorpo-
rated, and Francis C. Lowell was in search of
a competent mechanic to take charge of their
machine-shop. The situation was offered to Mr.
Jacob Perkins, but, being on the point of starting
for England, he declined, and recommended Paul
Moody as the best man for the place. Mr. Moody
was engaged, and, with his family, removed to
Waltham. His success, during the ten years of
his engagement at Waltham, fully sustained the
expectations of his friends and employers. It was
a posirion in which his genius could have full
scope, and the improvements made by him have
successfully stood the test of time and experi-
ence.
December 20, 1820, lie took out a patent for a
double-speeder for roping cotton ; and January 1 7,
1821, another for frames for spinning cotton ;
from 1869 to 1878; John Kilburn is the present
January 19, the same year, two patents for roping
or spinning cotton, one being tiie double-speeder.
incumbent.
Ho is credited with the introduction of tlic " dead
The canal that supplies the Sulfolk, Tremont, spindle," and the use of leather belts to drive
and T;awren('(> companies was made this year. machinerv instead of iron gearing. Tiiese were con-
and