In the fall of 1838, James Whiting established the first foundry and machine shop in Canton. This establishment was in a large frame building erected for the purpose, on Wood Street, between Union and Illinois streets, just north of Hon. A. C. Babcock’s present residence. Mr. Whiting soon took into partnership Louis Sovereign. Messrs. Whiting & Sovereign continued in business together until the fall of 1840, when Mr. Whiting was taken sick, and, after a continued illness of nine months, died in the summer of 1841. The business, suspended by Mr. Whiting’s sickness, was never resumed. His widow continued to reside here until her death, a few years since, and his son, Hugh Whiting, is still residing here. In about 1843, Maj. Lewis Bidamon, who had purchased the Ellis Steam-Mill property on Main street, decided to turn it into a foundry. He carried this immediately into effect, and did here a general foundry and machine business until 1846, when he sold out to Wm. Parlin. In about 1854 or 1855, Messrs. J. & J. M. Savill established a foundry and machine shop on Cole Street, at the north end of South Second Street. This firm did business until in 1859, when they dissolved.
JAMES SAVILL’S FOUNDRY
Mr. James Savill continued to run the J. & J. M. Savill Foundry after the dissolution of that firm and is still engaged in the business. Mr. Savill’s establishment now runs four hands in the general foundry and machine business, having an eight-horsepower engine, four lathes, and other machinery. Mr. Savill manufactures agricultural implements, boilers, saw-mills, etc.
J. M. SAVILL’S FOUNDRY AND MACHINE SHOP
Mr. J. M. Savill, in 1859, established a foundry and machine shop on Cole street, corner of First street. He began with a six- horsepower engine, a small amount of machinery, and a working force, himself included, of only six hands. His business has been gradually extending ever since. In 1862 he put up a twelve horsepower engine, making at the same time important and ex- tensive additions to his machinery.
Mr. Savill now employs a constant force of ten hands. He manufactures steam engines, force pumps, cane mills, corn shellers, field rollers, trip-hammers, and does mill work and repairing of all kinds. Mr. Savill is a native of Lancashire, England. He immigrated to this county in 1844. He contemplates, as rapidly as possible, extending his business.
CIGAR MANUFACTORIES
Prior to 1855 there had been no manufactures of cigars in Canton. There may have been a few made by isolated individuals for home consumption, but not as a business. On the 12th of November, 1855, Mr. E. H. Curtiss opened a small shop in D. M. Smith’s storeroom, on Union street, for the manufacture and sale of cigars, Mr. Curtiss and his brother, J. J. Curtiss, attending to sales and doing all the work.
Mr. Curtiss remained in this location until 1856, when he removed to the old A. S. Steel store, on the east side of the Public Square–since burned down–and enlarged his business to some extent. By close attention to the selection of stock and application to business, Mr. Curtiss continued to meet with a success so marked as to make it necessary still further to increase his busi-nesss: accordingly, in 1859 he removed to a larger room, owned by David Grim, on the east side of the Public Square, where Baughman’s store, in Union Block, now stands. Here he continued to increase his business until, in 1863, he was forced to make another removal, to the old Maple corner, on the southeast corner of the Public Square. He has remained in this location ever since –now eight years, –and has now in constant employ twelve hands in rolling cigars, employing in the various processes of his manufactory nineteen hands, and paying out $12,000 annually for hired help. In 1870 Mr. Curtiss manufactured, in round numbers, 300,000 cigars, and expects to increase it the coming year, 1871, to 600,000.
Mr. Curtiss has already established a reputation for his cigars that is worth a fortune to him. Throughout the eight or ten towns immediately surrounding scarcely any other cigars are sold. His brands are also well known over most of the eastern and northern portions of the state, while he has customers from Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, and as far west as Salt Lake City.
This establishment, from a very small beginning, has grown to be an important manufacturing establishment, by the tact, energy and square dealing of its founder. It has grown from an establishment occupying one small room to one occupying a principal storeroom 21 by 80 feet; abasement of the same size; about onethird of the second story of the same building; and the entire fourth story of the same. Mr. Curtiss is now but in the prime of life, and it is fair to presume that his business is scarcely begun.
Deak & Armstrong were the next firm to engage in Cigar making. They began business December 1st, 1869, in the Graham building, but afterward removed to the east side of the Public Square, over Olds & Smith’s grocery store. Messrs. Dean & Armstrong employ five hands in their business. In 1870 they manufactured one hundred and fifty thousand cigars, and expect during 1871 to reach two hundred and fifty thousand.
They find a constantly increasing demand for their cigars, and in consequence are constantly increasing the extent of their works. The average wages of cigar makers is about fifteen dollars per week; and as twenty three hands find employment, it will be seen that three hundred and forty-five dollars per week are paid out regularly for this branch of manufacture alone.
HOFFMAN & SON’S STAR WAGON MANUFACTORY
In 1862, Mr. Hoffman, the proprietor of the “Star Wagon Manufactory,” came to Canton from Missouri, where he had been driven out by the rebels. Mr. Hoffman began business as a jobbing blacksmith immediately, with two sets of blacksmith tools and fifty dollars cash capital, and a large family to support.
Renting Miller’s blacksmith shop, he soon found all the work himself and one hand could do, ironing wagons and buggies, making miners’ tools, and jobbing. His business continuing to increase, after having purchased the house and lot on which he resides on Walnut street, he purchased a lot on Elm street, west of Parlin & Orendorff’s Plow Factory, and began the manufacture of the Star Wagon in 1865. In 1867 he took in as a partner Mr. A. Layton, who brought a small amount of capital into the firm and enabled them to make some additions to their facilities for manufacturing. They now added the manufacture of Hyer’s Horse Hay-Forks, and increased their force on wagons.
Early in 1869 Mr. Hoffman bought out the interest of Mr. Layton and took his son into partnership, under the present firm name. They have continued to enlarge and increase their business, until at present they employ never less than ten first-class workmen, and have made during 1870 sixty Star Wagons, besides hay-forks and general jobbing to a considerable amount.
Messrs. Hoffman & Son’s wagons are all made of excellent se- lected materials, and are already acquiring an enviable reputation wherever known. They express a determination to continue to keep up the reputation of their work, and it is safe to predict that the ” Star Wagon Manufactory” will in a few years be ranked among the most important manufacturing establishments in this section.
PIPER’S WOOLEN FACTORY
In 1844 John G. Piper opened a small wool-carding establishment on the southeast corner of Main and Cole streets. He began with one set of custom cards, operated by horse power, and run only during the “carding season” being suspended a considerable portion of each year. Mr. Piper set out with a determination to give satisfaction to his customers, and succeeded so well that in 1846 he found it necessary to add another set of custom cards, and change his power from horse power to that afforded by a steam engine of six-horse power. In 1850 he put up four power looms, and a spinning jack with one hundred and fifty spindles, beginning the manufacture of woolen goods of various kinds, also adding one set of manufacturing cards. Since that time his business has been constantly increasing, and he has been
extending his facilities for manufacturing, until he now runs two sets of manufacturing cards; two sets of custom cards; two spinning jacks with a total of four hundred and fifty spindles; together with all needful machinery for coloring and finishing cloths. Mr. Piper manufactured last year, in round numbers, $40,000
worth of goods, employing in his establishment thirty hands, paying $10,000 to his employes as wages.
His goods consist of cassimeres, tweeds, jeans, satinets, flannels, blankets, and stocking yarn. His goods have established themselves upon their merits throughout a considerable portion of Illinois, Missouri, and Kansas. The reputation of Mr. Pip»er’s manufactures is deservedly very high, and wherever known their sale is immense.
Mr. Piper’s motto seems to have been to sell nothing but a first class article at the very lowest price for which it can be aftbrded. By pursuing this policy, from a very small beginning he has been able to build up one of the largest and most important manufacturing establishments in our city, and is another exemplification of the fact that with Canton’s facilities for manufacture in the shape of cheap and good coal, abundance and accessibility of water, facilities for transportation, and fertility of soil, thereby affording abundance of cheap food for operatives, it only requires energy, fair dealing and time to build up from the smallest beginning the largest manufactory.