James Fletcher Whitin was the youngest son of Paul C. Whitin

Paul C. Whitin

Col. Paul Whitin, was a skilled blacksmith and pioneering industrialist who in 1831 in Northbridge, Massachusetts. established the Whitin Machine Works, which would later become the largest maker of specialty textile machinery in the world....

, and brother of John Crane Whitin, who founded the Whitin Machine Works

Whitin Machine Works

The Whitin Machine Works was founded by Paul Whitin and his sons in 1831 on the banks of the Mumford River in South Northbridge, Massachusetts. The village of South Northbridge became known as Whitinsville in 1835, in honor of its founder....

 in 1831 at Northbridge, Massachusetts

Northbridge, Massachusetts

Northbridge is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 15,707 at the 2010 census. The Northbridge Town Hall is located at 7 Main Street in Whitinsville. The town is now a part of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, of the National Park...

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James Whitin would also enter the family textile business, at a later age. The Whitin Machine Works

Whitin Machine Works

The Whitin Machine Works was founded by Paul Whitin and his sons in 1831 on the banks of the Mumford River in South Northbridge, Massachusetts. The village of South Northbridge became known as Whitinsville in 1835, in honor of its founder....

 grew to become one of the largest textile machinery companies in the world.

The village of South Northbridge became known as Whitinsville 1835, in honor of his father.

In 1864 when his mother Betsy decided to divide the family business among four of her sons, James acquired the Crown and Eagle Mill

Rogerson's Village Historic District

Rogersons Village Historic District is a historic mill village in Uxbridge, Massachusetts, United States.-The builder:Rogerson's Village was built by Robert Rogerson, a native of England. He acquired the Clapp Mill in 1817, established on the Mumford River circa 1810, in Uxbridge, Massachusetts....

 in North Uxbridge, Massachusetts

North Uxbridge, Massachusetts

-Local links:*List of Registered Historic Places in Uxbridge, Massachusetts, Lists buildings relevant to this village* *...

, and land near the Whitin Railroad Depot where he built the Linwood Mill

Linwood, Massachusetts

Linwood is a village with its own post office in the towns of Northbridge and Uxbridge, Massachusetts.The zip code of the Linwood post office is 01525. As a village of both Uxbridge and Northbridge, Linwood has separate municipal services from Uxbridge or Northbiridge, for fire, police, EMS, School...

in 1866.