ATHM Textile Industry Film

Collection

Identifier: 6524/009 F

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Scope and Contents

Although this volume contains listings labeled cotton manufacturing accounts, woolen manufacturing accounts, gristmill, and store, as well as Northboro Manufacturing Co., it is thought to be a journal of that company. The entries show evidence of the barter system in practice at this time, listing sums due for dressing cloth, carding, weaving, repairing a spinning jenny, etc. The names of workers or customers are listed for each entry. Goods sold include corn, barley, straw, gin, candles, and molasses

Dates

undated

Conditions Governing Access

Access to the collections in the Kheel Center is restricted. Please contact a reference archivist for access to these materials.

Conditions Governing Use

This collection must be used in keeping with the Kheel Center Information Sheet and Procedures for Document Use.

Biographical / Historical

The company, also referred to as the Northborough Manufacturing Co., was located in Northboro (Northborough), MA. It was chartered on February 18, 1814, to manufacture cotton and woolen cloth and yarn. As with many early mills, carding and spinning were probably the only forms of manufacturing and the yarn was "put-out" to local residents for weaving to be exchanged at the mill (cash or barter) when completed. The company languished due to the flooding of the market with foreign goods after the end of the War of 1812; its prospects were not bettered by the improved business conditions granted by the Tariff of 1816. In 1821 a committee was appointed to sell the property, which was purchased by Isaac Davis, the son of one of the company's original incorporators. His partners were Asaph Rice, Oliver Eldridge, and Robert Rogerson. Davis was the manager of the mill and Eldridge managed the sale of goods. In 1831, Davis and Eldridge obtained a new act of incorporation as the Northborough Cotton Manufacturing Company.