Daniel Chickering lived in this ancient little house that
was attached to the rear of Joe Francis' house on
Walpole Street in this 1895 photograph.
Here are the men who purchased the original mill properties and mill privileges
for the Dover Union Iron Company
on July 17, 1815 *:
Frederick Barden of Dover, Gentleman, age 44 opened the way for the iron mill in 1810 when he bought the old David Wight sawmill lot and brook privilege from Richard Richards and another acre and a quarter sawmill privilege adjacent north of it and centered on the brook. It was on these two parcels that the Dover Iron Mill was built five years later.
Barden became superintendent of the mill and lived in the company house at the site with his family**. Originally from Taunton he settled in Dover and later moved to Wakefield, NH. He was 'a quiet and respected citizen.' [-Smith]
He owned 3/32 parts with Benjamin Knights of Newton.
---
George Fisher, Jr. of Dover, Gentleman, age 29
Son of Captn Samuel Fisher, George was an attorney. Born in Dover at the
family farm at Powisset, he went to Harvard and was a brilliant debator.
Held people spellbound by his eloquence in town meeting. He was admitted
to the bar and practiced law in Boston and Detroit. He was a contractor and
built a section of the Erie Canal near Rochester, NY, also built a part of
the Boston mill dam. [-Smith]
---
Samuel Fisher, Jr. of Boston, Gentleman, age 27
Son of Capt. Fisher, Samuel, Jr. was an attorney also born in Dover at the
family farm at Powisset. He graduated from Harvard in 1810 and was admitted
to the Suffolk Bar in 1813. [-Smith]
George Fisher and Samuel Fisher, Jr. owned 8/32nd parts with Timothy Allen, Jr.
[It is interesting that deeds do not list their father Capt. Samuel Fisher as one of the original investors. A prominent and wealthy citizen, he owned much of the upland watershed land at Noanet Brook and operated a sawmill there. He knew the brook well.]
---
John Williams of Dover, Gentleman, age 41
John Williams owned and operated the Williams Tavern at the center of town
and kept a store and livery stable there and was a successful business man.
He was the Dover postmaster and a Deputy Sheriff for Norfolk County. He may
have been involved with Barden in the original purchase of the iron mill
lot because he signed off on the deed when Barden sold it to the Dover Union
Iron Company five years later.
He owned 2/32 parts.
---
Nathaniel Chickering of Dover, Gentleman, age 65
He served at the Battle in Lexington and at Ticonderoga in 1776 and was one
of the early town treasurers and a 'civil engineer' - [Smith] He owned
the farm on the south side of Walpole Street at the wide curve. It included
a large area of the Noanet Brook watershed near the upstream limit.
He and his son Daniel also owned part of a nail factory in Medfield with Joseph Clark, Jr. and Atty. Daniel Clark, Jr. both of Medfield. [-Tilden] The Dover Iron Mill probably rolled and slit nail stock and sold it to Clark's nail factory on Mill Brook in Medfield, known as Tubwreck Brook in Dover.
Nathaniel owned 2/32nd parts of the Dover Union Iron Company.
---
Daniel Chickering of Dover and Medfield, age 28.
The son of Nathaniel, Daniel played a prominent part in establishing the
iron mill and 'had much to do with its equipment, which for those days was
considered the very best. He was an inventive genius, the inventor of mud
shoes, a machine for cutting and heading nails at the same time and a
self-loading and unloading cart.' He lived in Medfield for a time where
he and his father owned part of a nail factory with Joseph Clark, Jr. and
Atty. Daniel Adams, both of Medfield. He returned to Dover and lived at the
family farm on Walpole Street. [-Smith]
---
Daniel Chickering lived in this ancient little house that
was attached to the rear of Joe Francis' house on
Walpole Street in this 1895 photograph.
Joseph Clark, Jr. owned a nail factory in Medfield together with Nathaniel and Daniel Chickering and Atty. Daniel Adams:
'In 1813 a company was formed, consisting of Joseph Clark, Daniel Adams, Daniel and Nathaniel Chickering, who built a nail factory on the stream below the present stone mill, and carried on the business there for several years. The 'factory house' stood on the Dedham road; lately owned by Horace Howard.' [- Tilden]
Clark was a Selectman in Medfield for several terms.
---
Attorney Daniel Adams of Medfield.
He served as State Representative for eight years from 1812 to 1820 and one
year in 1841.
'Daniel Adams was born in 1779, son of Rev. Daniel Adams of Watertown and wife Silence Wight. He graduated from Harvard in 1799, and was educated for the law. In 1811, he bought a lot, corner of Main and South Streets, with an unfinished house [present 428 Main Street]. His knowledge of the law was good, though he did not often plead in the courts.' [-Tilden]
The firm of Joseph Clark, Jr. & Company was the major owner of the Dover
Union Iron Company.
It owned a 10/32nd share.
Attorney Daniel Adams of Medfield
---
Silas Bacon, Jr. of Dover, Gentleman, age 25
He was born on Main Street and lived in Newton Upper Falls. Horace was his
younger brother. Their father was a blacksmith. [-Smith]
He owned 1/32 part.
---
Horace Bacon of Dover, Gentleman, age 21
Born on Main Street, he also lived in Newton Lower Falls. Silas was his older
brother. [-Smith]
He owned 1/32 part.
---
Benjamin Knights of Newton, Gentleman, owned 3/32 parts with Barden.
---
Timothy Allen, Jr. of Boston, Gentleman, owned 8/32 parts with George Fisher and Samuel Fisher, Jr.
---
James Carton of Boston, and John H. Rice of Boston, Gentlemen, owned 5/32 parts
- - - - - - -
* - [Quotes and information from Frank Smith's 'GENEALOGIES' and Tilden's 'HISTORY OF MEDFIELD']
** - Barden's son, Frederick, worked in the Dover mill too in his early years.
Later he worked at mills in Wareham and in Pembroke, Maine, where he set
up large mills. He settled in Newton Upper Falls about 1845, built mills
there and became a very successful manufacturer. He represented Newton in
the Legislature.[-Smith]
8/11/00