Townsend Harbor, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Townsend Harbor is a village in Townsend, Massachusetts
, containing Harbor Pond dammed from the Squannacook River
. At this location Jonas Spaulding and his brother Waldo started a mill in 1873 that made leatherboard (composed of leather scraps and wood pulp). They did business as Spaulding Brothers. Their family business expanded to locations in New Hampshire
and western New York
.
Jonas Spaulding expanded further into leatherboard manufacturing, founding a second mill at Milton, New Hampshire
around 1893. This allowed Jonas to bring his three grown sons: Leon C., Huntley N.
, and Rolland H. Spaulding
, into the business in a second company organized as J. Spaulding and Sons. The senior Spaulding started construction of a third leatherboard mill at North Rochester, New Hampshire
. It began production in 1900 shortly after his death.
The three Spaulding sons were successful and acquired the Spaulding Brothers mill in Townsend Harbor in 1902, making it part of J. Spaulding and Sons. They later moved their corporate offices to Rochester, New Hampshire. The three brothers continued to expand the business, building a vulcanized fibre mill in Tonawanda, New York
in 1911; and a fourth leatherboard mill at a second location in Milton in 1913.
They continued the company as J. Spaulding and Sons until about 1924, when they changed its name to the Spaulding Fibre Company to reflect its product. The corporate offices were moved to Tonawanda, New York, as that plant became the biggest operation. It reached its peak of production and employment in the 1960s, after having added product lines in Spauldite (a competitor for Bakelite) and a fiberglass
tube.
Operation of the leatherboard mill at Townsend Harbor ceased in 1957, after the last two surviving siblings, Huntley Spaulding and his married sister Marion S. Potter, died. The two siblings had previously created a charitable trust that took over the Spaulding Fibre Company after their deaths and sold off all assets within 15 years.
Townsend, Massachusetts
Townsend is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 8,926 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Townsend, please see the article Townsend , Massachusetts....
, containing Harbor Pond dammed from the Squannacook River
Squannacook River
The Squannacook River is a river in northern Massachusetts. It is a tributary of the Nashua River and part of the Merrimack River watershed flowing to the Atlantic Ocean....
. At this location Jonas Spaulding and his brother Waldo started a mill in 1873 that made leatherboard (composed of leather scraps and wood pulp). They did business as Spaulding Brothers. Their family business expanded to locations in New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
and western New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Jonas Spaulding expanded further into leatherboard manufacturing, founding a second mill at Milton, New Hampshire
Milton, New Hampshire
Milton is a town in Strafford County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,598 at the 2010 census. A manufacturing, resort and residential town, Milton includes the village of Milton Mills...
around 1893. This allowed Jonas to bring his three grown sons: Leon C., Huntley N.
Huntley N. Spaulding
Huntley Nowel Spaulding was an American manufacturer and Republican politician from Rochester, New Hampshire. He was elected governor of New Hampshire...
, and Rolland H. Spaulding
Rolland H. Spaulding
Rolland Harty Spaulding was an American manufacturer and Republican politician. He was elected Governor of Hew Hampshire in 1914, where he served one term.-Early life and education:...
, into the business in a second company organized as J. Spaulding and Sons. The senior Spaulding started construction of a third leatherboard mill at North Rochester, New Hampshire
Rochester, New Hampshire
Rochester is a city in Strafford County, New Hampshire, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 29,752. The city includes the villages of East Rochester and Gonic. Rochester is home to Skyhaven Airport and the annual Rochester Fair....
. It began production in 1900 shortly after his death.
The three Spaulding sons were successful and acquired the Spaulding Brothers mill in Townsend Harbor in 1902, making it part of J. Spaulding and Sons. They later moved their corporate offices to Rochester, New Hampshire. The three brothers continued to expand the business, building a vulcanized fibre mill in Tonawanda, New York
Tonawanda (city), New York
Tonawanda is a city in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 16,136 at the 2000 census. It is located at the northern edge of Erie County, south across the Erie Canal from North Tonawanda, and north of Buffalo, New York...
in 1911; and a fourth leatherboard mill at a second location in Milton in 1913.
They continued the company as J. Spaulding and Sons until about 1924, when they changed its name to the Spaulding Fibre Company to reflect its product. The corporate offices were moved to Tonawanda, New York, as that plant became the biggest operation. It reached its peak of production and employment in the 1960s, after having added product lines in Spauldite (a competitor for Bakelite) and a fiberglass
Fiberglass
Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling...
tube.
Operation of the leatherboard mill at Townsend Harbor ceased in 1957, after the last two surviving siblings, Huntley Spaulding and his married sister Marion S. Potter, died. The two siblings had previously created a charitable trust that took over the Spaulding Fibre Company after their deaths and sold off all assets within 15 years.
Points of interest
- Reed HomesteadReed HomesteadThe Reed Homestead is a nonprofit house museum located at 72 Main Street , Townsend Harbor, Massachusetts, operated by the Townsend Historical Society, and open Tuesday through Friday, 9 A.M. to 2 P.M....