History of Mechanicsville, Connecticut
Mechanicsville dates back to 1827, when a privilege upon the French
river, just above its junction with the Quinebaug, was secured by a number
of enterprising men, viz., Erastus Buck, Augusus Howe, Thomas and James
Dike, Jude Sabin, John Chollar, Jacob Leavens and James Cunningham, who
associated together as "The Mechanics' Company" for the manufacture of
woolen goods, and put up a three-story wooden mill, a saw mill and an
eight-tenement block for operatives. All members of the company were
expected to help carry forward the work personally. Mr. Howe served as
agent; the Messrs. Dike and Cunningham carried on the machine shop; Mr.
Buck drove the mules; and Mr. Leavens superintended the weavers. A
workshop bought with the land was transformed into a school house. For
some unassigned reason, perhaps because one level head is a better motor
than half a dozen, the co-operative experiment failed of success, and in
about three years the company dissolved, and in 1835 the whole property
was sold at auction to William Rhodes and Thomas Truesdell, who run the
mill intermittently till it was purchased by Mr. Smith Wilkinson in 1838.
For five years it struggled on under different lessees, till destroyed by
fire in 1843.
In 1858 Messrs. Sabin and Harris Sayles and Mowry Ross made arrangements
with Mr. Edmond Wilkinson, under which they built a small brick mill and
engaged in the manufacture of fancy cassimere. In 1865 Messrs. Thomas D.
Sayles and Warren Harris became partners with the Messrs. Sayles in the
Mechanicsville Company, purchasing the previous establishment and adjacent
territory. A new and beautiful brick building was speedily erected, 250 by
42 feet, four stories high, and fitted up with the best machinery and
every modern appointment. A large number of operatives were straightway
imported, new houses built, and great improvements made in the village.
The dingy old workshop which had done duty for a school room was replaced
by a neat brick building. Since the assumption of Mechanicsville by the
present proprietors, Messrs. Thomas D. Sayles and B. S. Washburn, in 1879,
very great changes have been wrought. Purchasing the West Thompson
privilege, the Ellis farm, and other needful territory, the firm entered
upon a work of demolition and reconstruction, costing some years of labor
and half a million of money. A new and very superior dam was built, the
channel of the Quinebaug deepened and in some places turned, roads
straightened and new ones constructed, hills leveled and valleys filled
up, resulting in an-entire transformation. The drive to West Thompson over
the smooth, level road, with its iron bridges, with the sparkling blue
lake on one side, and the picturesque verdant park, reclaimed from marsh
land, on the other, is indeed " a thing of beauty " and a perpetual joy.
The same good taste has transformed and beautified the village. The
factory building, with its green lawn in front, occupies one of the finest
locations in New England, and everything about premises and village are in
perfect keeping, emblematic, it is said, of the unusual harmony in the
relations between employers and employed. The present number of operatives
is three hundred and fifty-Canadian French, German, Irish, Swede. A
Catholic house of worship was built in 1880-" The Church of the Sacred
Heart"-Mr. Thomas D. Sayles giving land and $500 for that purpose.
A new iron bridge now spans the Quinebaug near West Thompson station. The
old Thompson burying ground, opened soon after 1720, is now in excellent
condition. An ample addition on the north, provided by Mr. George H.
Nichols, precludes the anticipated need of a modern cemetery. Descendants
of Captain Jonathan Nichols, viz., Elder John Nichols, Esquire Jonathan
Nichols, Messrs Faxon and Captain George Nichols, have been very prominent
in town, filling many public offices with credit and usefulness. The
latter is now represented by his sons, Jerome and George H. Nichols, who
also serve the town in many public capacities. A third son, the late
lamented Lieutenant Colonel Munroe Nichols, gave a life of much promise to
the service of his country in the late war. The family of Mr. James
Cunningham, one of the original proprietors of Mechanics' Factory, still
reside in the vicinity. The venerable Mr. Winthrop H. Ballard and his son,
Mr. Stephen Ballard, are respected residents.
The Five Mile or Assawaga river, in the east of the town, has propelled
but one small factory in Thompson, though helping run several larger
establishments in towns below. Grist and saw mills have been kept at work
since the first settlement of the town. In 1813 a number of gentlemen from
Providence, viz., Emor Angell, Nehemiah Knight, Thomas Burgess, John
Mackie, associated with Stephen Matthewson, of Johnston, R. I., and Josiah
Sessions and Joseph Waterman, of Thompson, as the Quadic Manufacturing
Company, and bought land and water privilege in the little hamlet of
Quadic, of a well-known resident, Deacon Jonathan Converse. They soon
erected a small building and engaged in the manufacture of woolen hats.
The close of the war brought untimely end to this enterprise, which was
soon replaced by the inevitable cotton factory, set in motion by Mr. John
Mason and a new company. A larger factory was now built, and a number of
dwelling houses between 1820-'22.
In 1822 Mr. Mason, for $1,900 sold one-third interest in the Quadic
Manufacturing Company, set off as one-half of the late hat manufactory,"
to Messrs. Sessions and Waterman, who for a number of years continued in
charge, manufacturing "Quadic sheeting." Calvin Randall and Stephen B.
Winsor had also rights in the mill. Nelson S. Eddy purchased the
establishment in 1835, and resided a number of years in the village,
employing from fifty to seventy-five men, women and children. Quadic
village, with its factory, daily stage-coach passing through it, and
constant teaming to and from Providence, was then a brisk little
settlement, its convenient store in pre-temperance days furnishing
spirituous refreshment to many a weary traveller. After the decease of Mr.
Eddy the factory was leased for a time to Card & Stone. In 1848 Mr. Lemuel
K. Blackmar assumed the charge of the saw and grist mills, and a little
later fitted up the old °` red hat factory," for the manufacture of twine.
Mr. David Warner, who purchased rights of the children of Mr. Eddy, also
carried on twine manufacture. The privilege of deepening the channel of
the Assawaga, and constructing a reservoir for supplying Dayville and
Attawagan factories with water, was obtained by the Messrs. Sayles and
Blackstone, resulting in the formation of a full, deep lake, setting
backward to near the north bound of the town. Mowry Ross, a veteran mill
owner, purchased the Quadic privilege in 1873. His sons, Mowry and Isaac
Ross, built a tasteful new mill on the south side of the road, which fell
into possession of Mr. A. W. Thurber, of Putnam. Its destruction by fire
has apparently put an end to Quadic cotton manufacture. The old saw and
grist mills also rest from their labors. A few of the former residents
still linger in the picturesque little village. Sabbath schools have been
kept up for many years in the Quadic school house, by earnest Baptist
brethren, viz., Deacons Stephen Crosby and Welcome Bates, Mr. Newton
Ballard and others.
When Brandy hill first assumed its inspiriting name is beyond the memory
of descendants of the oldest inhabitant. Tradition refers it to the
bursting of a brandy hogshead upon the hill, and it may be inferred that
the great outflow of liquor at Starr's tavern during the days of turnpike
opening, helped to make it permanent. Succeeding stage taverns were famous
for the concoction of flip, the poker being kept red hot in the glowing
coals for that purpose from morn till eve. Before the much-needed
temperance reform it was the custom of honored fathers of Thompson hill to
take their wives and daughters, after a specially hard day's work at house
cleaning or the like, to this famous tavern, to be cheered if not
inebriated by foaming flip. Brandy hill at that date boasted a special
military company and trainings, with a flourishing store, and at one time
secured a vote to hold town meetings part of the time at the Baptist
meeting house. It was also famous for singing schools and occasional
balls. A stately row of poplars was set out about 1800 by Captain Isaac
Davis. The meeting house and taverns were said to have built up Brandy
hill village, and with the decay of the latter the village declined. It
has furnished a pleasant home for many residents, particularly the
descendants of the faithful town clerk, Mr. Nathaniel Mills, whose sons,
Nathaniel, Colonel Isaac, Ashley and Corbin Mills, have had homes in the
village or in its vicinity. The old church still holds its own as has been
noticed elsewhere, and the venerable row of poplars stands as a familiar
land-mark.
The northeast part of the town was sparsely settled for many years, the
descendants of Nathaniel Jacobs and Israel Joslin occupying many of its
farms and homesteads. Turnpike travel increased the number of residents,
and the " Jacobs District " became quite populous. The Methodist church
and projected railroad helped to centralize this population, but it was
not till the Boston & Erie railroad was fairly opened that East Thompson
village entered upon existence. Its importance was increased by the
junction with the Southbridge Branch. A number of families connected in
various ways with the railroad interest now occupy the village. Shoe
manufacture was carried on for a time by the Reverend Isaac Sherman, a
useful and respected citizen. The store established by him is now
conducted by Mr. George H. Wilber, the present postmaster. A store is also
kept by R. J. Steins. The family which gave its name to this district is
much less numerous than in former years-several branches failing from
extinction or emigration. One of its oldest representatives, Mr. Joseph D.
Jacobs, has recently removed from a family homestead to Thompson hill. Two
of his seven sons gave their lives to their country; the survivors are
engaged in business in various parts of the land.
Back to: Thompson, Windham County, Connecticut History
Source: History of Windham County, Connecticut, Bayles, Richard M.; New York: W.W. Preston, 1889