|
|
|
|
|
Due to the “Great River” being close by, the industry era was on. Shipping ports located at Goodspeed Landing and Upper Landing made it very easy for mills in Moodus to become profitable. Industry started in Moodus as early as the 1800’s.
1817- The Connecticut General Assembly passed a law that allowed exemption on cotton and woolen factories from taxes for 4 years. They were also exempt from the poll tax and militia service. 1763- Jonathan Kilbourne built the first linseed oil mill, also running a woolen and sawmill. Kilbourne’s linseed oil mill was actually located on the Salmon River in Leeseville, not in Moodus. Kilbourne’s sons decided to take a loan from the Lords to expand the mills. The Lords was a very prominent name for the time. The Lords foreclosed on the property in 1805 because the Kilbourne brothers did not profit from the expansion. As legend has it the Kilbourne brothers accused the Lords’ of placing a “curse” on the mill to close it down. When the Lords’ took it over, they rebuilt and renamed the mills “ The East Haddam Manufacturing Company” In 1815 a fire destroyed the mills. October 1815 Captain Asa Smith had built the first cotton mill in Moodus. Smith was joined by Robert Chapman, Phineas Gates Jr., both of East Haddam and William Carter of Clinton. This formed the “Smith Manufacturing Company”. Smith knew of the fire that destroyed Lords’ mills. Smith decided to build the cotton mill from granite blocks. By Smith doing this, the mill was known as the “Granite Mill”. 1819 Smith left the original organization 1821 Captain Asa Smith obtained control of Hurd gristmill site. At the same time Ransom Whitmore was also interested in the mill. Smith and Whitmore decided to become partners. This being the second mill Smith cotton mill, for manufacturing yarn, was completed in 1823. 1825 The Brownells’ were the third to build a mill in East Haddam. Edward Brownell was born in Westport, Massachusetts in 1798. He worked as a young man for the Lords’ mill in Leesville. Later Brownwell left the Lords’ and headed for Rhode Island to work he mills there before building his own mill between Granite and Smith Mills. Late 1800’s Brownell was the leader for providing twine to Brazil and Argentina. Later, Brownell made a shift with DuPont providing nylon rope. 1828 On the site of the old Thomas Gates gristmill, George Higgins built the Red Mill. Higgins quickly sold the mill to men wanting to become mill operators. Stanton Card had purchased ¼ in 1829; Timothy Green of Upper Landing purchased 1/3. Two years later Cars sold his shares to William Nicholas, son of Ebenezer Nicholas. Higgins sold his final 1/3 share to Green, making Green the major stockholder. The new mill was named “The Twine Manufacturing Company”. In the 1820’s Ebenezer Nicholas had invented the “Whirl-A-Gig”. This invention became an important event for manufacturing in East Haddam. This offered a big jump in technology in rope and cord production. William had made improvements to the invention, allowing a patent on December 11, 1849. The investments from George Higgins and Stanton Cord had paid off for them.
1832 The firm of Card & Company opened Neptune Mill. Neptune Mill was for production of cotton sale twine, wrapping twine and stocking yarn. 1840 Card’s two son in-laws Emory Johnson & Jonathon Cone were admitted to the firm. 1845 Card & Company were forced to build yet another mill due to the success in twine. 1862 Emory Johnson decided to expand and built “Trenton Mill” and “Neptune Mill”. The outbreak of the Civil War stopped the flow of the cotton mills, forced owners to sell their stock and shut the doors. Johnson’s mills were the only ones to stay opened. This had brought a lot of struggle to the mills, but it paid off. The price of cotton and cotton goods rose to 100%. After the Civil War started Johnson was able to sell some cotton for a $1.00 per pound and still kept some for production. Johnson had made a big profit during this time. He was able to make improvements to the mill village. By this time called Johnsonville. Johnson built a Victorian home, which still stands today. Johnson had died in 1905, still controlling his company.
1972 Neptune Mill, 140 years old, was the oldest continuing operating mill in the country. The mill was struck by lightning and burned to the ground. The rest of Johnsonville still stands today. Ray and Carole Schmidt were current owners. Ray Schmidt had recently passed away. Between 1819-1865 15 cotton mills were operating on the Moodus River. The mills produced twine, yarn, fishnets and cotton duck for sailcloth through out the country. Moodus transferred the farm village to the “Twine Capital of America”.
|
